About Youth Leadership Pathway UK
Introduction
Youth Leadership Pathways UK is a development programme for young people aged 13–18, which we are currently working to pilot in Barrow-in-Furness and Westmorland and Furness. It is designed to strengthen values-led behaviours, practical leadership and project skills for life through learning by doing.
Status
Youth Leadership Pathways UK is currently in development and not yet in delivery.
Launching a first pilot is contingent on securing external funding and suitable delivery partnerships.
The intent is to
- Begin with a pilot in Barrow-in-Furness and the wider Westmorland and Furness area
- Work with schools, colleges, local authorities, community organisations and professional bodies
- Learn from the pilot and then explore how the Centre for Leadership Insight and STEM learning can come together and make this UK-wide
We are actively pursuing grant funding routes and crowdfunding, and building the partnerships needed to deliver a safe, evaluated pilot.
Why is this needed?
The latest UK figures show that around 12.7 per cent of 16–24-year-olds – around 946,000 young people – are not in education, employment or training (NEET). Of these, about 512,000 are young men, and 434,000 are young women. Young people not in education.
Analysis by the Learning and Work Institute suggests that around 13 per cent of 16–24-year-olds are NEET, nearly one million young people, and that the impact is not short-term. Around 48 per cent of young people remain NEET a year after they first become NEET, and 58 per cent have never had a paid job, leaving them at risk of long-term “scarring” in confidence, earnings and opportunities. Their Youth Opportunity Index also highlights sharp differences between areas, with some local authorities offering far fewer opportunities than others.
At the same time, there is growing concern about the influence of online misogyny and harmful male role models on boys and young men. UK and international evidence points to the impact of high-profile online influencers who promote hyper-masculine, misogynistic content, with surveys indicating that large proportions of teenage boys have seen or positively rate this material, and teachers reporting that it is shaping boys’ attitudes and behaviour towards girls.
In response, the UK government’s violence against women and girls strategy now includes specific plans to protect children from misogyny and online abuse, including new behaviour-change education for boys from around age 11, teacher training and a focus on online harms. But schools and services alone cannot solve this. They are already under pressure, and many young people who are most at risk of becoming NEET, or of absorbing harmful behaviours, sit on the edge of or outside formal systems.
These challenges often fall hardest in areas of deprivation and limited opportunity, contributing to what is sometimes described as a lost youth. Youth Leadership Pathways UK is intended as a practical, values-led response that builds capability early, supports those at risk of becoming NEET, and strengthens community connection.
How this is different?
Youth Leadership Pathways UK is not another badge or title-based “young leaders” course.
It is designed to be different from many traditional youth and leadership programmes in several important ways.
- It treats leadership as everyday behaviour and choices, not status or position
- It is explicitly values-led, built on a clear set of core values that run through every activity and standard of behaviour, rather than being a poster on the wall
- It focuses on real-world delivery under pressure, not just classroom content or one-off residential experiences
- It tackles difficult themes directly, such as online influence, respect, misogyny and abuse of power, in a structured and supported way
- It connects learning to tangible outcomes such as a community project, a portfolio, Functional Skills support and, where partnerships allow, recognised entry-level qualifications
Programme Core Values
The programme is built on a clear set of core values and teaches young people to live these in practice across home, education, work and community. These values are reinforced through real tasks, reflection, feedback and clear standards of behaviour.
Courage
Respect for others
Self-discipline
Doing what is right, even when it is difficult, including speaking up against harmful behaviour and resisting negative online influence
Self-discipline
Respect for others
Self-discipline
Taking responsibility for actions, managing emotions and staying focused on goals, especially under pressure or distraction
Respect for others
Respect for others
Respect for others
Treating everyone with fairness, kindness and consideration, including respectful language, boundaries and behaviour towards other young people and adults of all genders
Integrity
Selfless commitment
Respect for others
Being honest and trustworthy, owning mistakes, telling the truth and doing the right thing when no one is watching
Loyalty
Selfless commitment
Selfless commitment
Supporting the team in the right way, encouraging others to do well, and challenging behaviour that risks harm or undermines trust
Selfless commitment
Selfless commitment
Selfless commitment
Putting something positive back into the community, following through, and contributing beyond self-interest
These values are not just taught. They are practised, reviewed and evidenced so young people can apply them in real life rather than only talk about them.
What the programme delivers
Youth Leadership Pathways UK teaches values-led behaviours, leadership skills and project skills for life in practice, not just as classroom theory. Young people learn by doing – learning from positive role models, setting goals, planning work, sharing roles, communicating clearly, handling pressure and disagreement, making decisions, managing setbacks and following through responsibly.
The programme ends with a real group project that delivers a positive impact on their community, helping to build pride, a sense of belonging and a sense of giving back to their communities.
What participants gain
Through the pathway, each young person will gain.
- A deeper understanding and everyday practice of the programme's core values of courage, self-discipline, respect for others, integrity, loyalty and selfless commitment.
- Values-led leadership behaviours applied in real situations in their lives, such as home, school, social media and part-time work.
- Practical leadership and project skills for life under real conditions, including planning and organising work, managing time and commitments, working with others and seeing things through when it is difficult.
- Stronger confidence and voice, being able to speak up, listen properly, disagree safely and ask for help or clarity when they need it.
- Healthier attitudes to power, boundaries and respect, including respectful language, boundaries and behaviour towards other young people and adults of all genders, and greater awareness of harmful stereotypes and online influences.
- A clearer sense of their own strengths and direction, what they enjoy, what they find challenging and how they can contribute to working life and society.
- A personal portfolio including plans, reflections, feedback and evidence of impact that they can use for college, apprenticeships and early job applications.
- A completed group project that benefits their community, giving them a real story to talk about in interviews, statements and future opportunities.
- Where appropriate, supported access to Functional Skills Level 1 or 2 in English and maths through suitable local partners and, where partnerships and funding allow, routes into entry-level project and leadership qualifications, for example, an introductory project qualification and a tailored leadership course linked to recognised professional bodies
What communities gain
Communities benefit through
- Visible, constructive projects delivered by local young people aged 13–18
- Young people who are better prepared for working life, volunteering and community roles
- Stronger trust and connection between young people and local organisations
- A shared language of values such as courage, self-discipline, respect for others, integrity, loyalty and selfless commitment
- Positive early contact between young people and local employers, services and civic roles
- A framework that can be delivered safely, adapted locally and improved over time
Who it is for?
The programme is open to all young people aged 13–18, with a deliberate focus on widening access for those who are disadvantaged or who may not otherwise have structured development opportunities.
This may include young people affected by
- Deprivation or financial pressure
- Rural or transport isolation
- Caring responsibilities
- Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
- Neurodiversity
- Mental-health pressures, bereavement or disrupted education
- Bullying or negative online influences
The approach is strengths-based. Young people are not labelled or selected because of what they lack. They are supported to develop capability, confidence and responsibility through a structured opportunity
How you can help?
At this stage, the most valuable support is practical and financial help that can bring a safe, evaluated pilot to life.
You can help by
- Donating to support Youth Leadership Pathways UK through our website or active crowdfunding page https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/qr/6Wk0LZan?utm_campaign=sharemodal&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=shortlink
- Organising or supporting local fundraising activity to help cover the costs of a first pilot cohort
- Sharing Youth Leadership Pathways UK with people and organisations who may be interested in partnering
- Starting a conversation if you are a school, youth organisation, college, university, employer or community partner who might wish to host or support a pilot
- Offering a brief statement or letter of support that can be included in external funding applications
- Connecting us with local and national stakeholders who share the belief that leadership should be taught as behaviour and real-world practice
For conversations, partnership discussions or support offers, please contact us.