Today we celebrate young people and those who work to support them, on the UN’s International Youth Day (12 August). Both to raise awareness of the challenges young people face and to advocate for their involvement in finding – and designing – the solutions.
Over the years through Citadel’s work we understand just how powerful it is to include young people in policy and decision making, particularly when it comes to issues that directly affect their lives. They do so often with the support of trusted adults and organisations who galvanise youth voice to highlight the importance of young people’s experiences.
This International Youth Day, we celebrate the impact of youth workers, charities, services and champions of young people.
Roundhouse
Celebrating 20 years this summer, Roundhouse is a youth charity with the mission to invest in the next generation of creative talent. In those 20 years, Roundhouse has become the largest creative youth centre in the UK. With over 10,000 young people a year joining their programmes, they have engaged with 100,000 young people in total, giving them a place to explore their creativity, build skills and community and start a pathway into employment within the arts. Their goals and ambitions are fuelled by youth voice, including 40 young trustees and 350 youth advisory panel members, to make sure that young people are at the centre of every decision.
Young Creatives Commission
Young Creatives Commission | Arts Access for Young People
The Young Creatives Commission is a national inquiry led by the Centre for Young Lives and Roundhouse. It came about in part as a response to the Government’s National Youth Strategy in December 2025. The aim of the Commission is to promote access and increased participation in the arts by putting it on an equal footing to sport and to make pathways into creative careers easier. Soon to publish an interim report, there’s a mountain of evidence to support a final recommendations later in the year on learning through the arts, equality of access to the arts and creative partnerships within industry, youth and education sectors. And where every-day art empowers young people in their self expression, identity and sense of belonging, and help to grow a closer knit society we all benefit from.
DofE
What we do – The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award
Another charity with much to celebrate is the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award in its 70th Anniversary year. They have seen millions of young people take part in their challenge. From inspiring confidence, resilience and lifetime skills, DofE are consistently contributing to local communities through young people’s expeditions and volunteering. They recorded 330,984 young people who started their DofE, giving 4.7 million hours of volunteering to their communities (2023-24). The work reaches across thousands of organisations, including schools, colleges, hospitals and prisons, providing equal access to all walks of life, providing enrichment, experiences and skills – and friendships that can last a lifetime.
Brook
Sexual Health & Wellbeing – Brook
After celebrating their 60th anniversary back in 2024, Brook continues to work with a youth focused approach, believing that everybody in society deserves to live healthy lives, free from inequality and strengthened by fulfilling relationships. Young people are at the centre of Brook’s work, with clinics and education teams throughout England and Wales. From specialists holding lessons in schools, colleges and universities, social media campaigns advocating for access to sexual health and wellbeing services, physical mental health hubs and sexual health clinics to engaging with youth focus groups and allowing young people to participate and have a voice in what they believe is most important for their welfare education.
Centrepoint
Citadel’s longest standing client Centrepoint has supported – and pioneered – work to end youth homelessness and towards independent living. Reaching far beyond its central London origins the charity is active in the north of England and an integral part of the new Prime Minister’s “Manchester-ism”, modelling an end to rough sleeping, sofa-surfing and unaffordable housing. Yet going much further to stem the flow by working with young people when children who are identified as having high risk factors of becoming homeless in the first place. As well as putting in place the foundations of home, health and jobs for 16-24-year-olds starting out independent living. All of which is rooted in youth voice and lived experiences of young people, helping to turn their lives around.
Youth zone
Each year Citadel brings together our clients and partners in what has be one a ‘festival of ideas’ and young people at the Annual Party Conferences. Now in its 17th conference season, the Youth Zone is a non-profit initiative by Citadel, hosting charities and organisations who support children, young people and families in a packed programme of fringe events and related activities. This creates a shared platform to include young people the conversations with policy makers at the parties of the UK Government and Official Opposition, and to speak openly with MPs about their experiences, ideas and campaigns. If you’re going to Labour, Conservative conferences this autumn, or as part of our Youth & Skills Day at the Liberal Democrats conference, seek us out and take part!
Citadel 