Football Beyond Borders welcomes today’s National Youth Strategy and the government’s commitment to expanding access to trusted adults for young people across the country.

For years, young people have been telling us the same thing: what makes the biggest difference in their lives isn’t a programme or a one-off intervention, but a consistent adult who is there for them, no matter what. We’re delighted to see this recognised at the heart of the Strategy, alongside a £15 million investment to train trusted adults across education, youth work and sport.

Through the Lost Boys Taskforce – chaired by Paul Barber OBE – and the development of the Trusted Adult Guarantee, we’ve been working with leaders across football, education, policy and youth work to build the evidence, momentum and practical roadmap for this moment. The Taskforce has brought together senior national voices, young people with lived experience, and organisations across the sector to shape a clear, deliverable plan to ensure every child has an adult they can speak to when they are struggling. 

Our costed proposal sets out how government can train 10,000 trusted adults in the first phase alone, using existing national infrastructure, and focusing initially on boys growing up in poverty who are most likely to miss out on these crucial relationships. The Strategy announced today is an important step towards that vision.

As this work moves forward, it’s essential we land a shared understanding of what a “trusted adult” really means. Young Minds have already done the first step in that journey by working with young people to define it as someone chosen by the young person as a safe figure that listens without judgment, agenda or expectation, but with the sole purpose of supporting and encouraging positivity within a young person’s life.

The research is clear: it’s not a job title, but a relationship built on safety, consistency and choice for the young person. It’s also vital that we’re clear about the “even overs” – the principles that guide the work. Things like: long term relationships even over short term programmes, consistency even over intensity, and listening even over fixing. These ideas will help ensure the new investment delivers what young people actually need.

We look forward to working closely with government, sector partners and the Taskforce to make sure this £15 million is used effectively, reaches the adults already closest to young people, and strengthens the relational fabric that helps them thrive.

This is a hopeful moment – and a chance to build a country where every young person has someone to turn to. 

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