This online conference will focus on the next steps for improving access to activities and volunteering opportunities for young people in England - and key priorities for the National Citizen Service.

It will be an opportunity to assess the implementation of the National Youth Guarantee and how the aim of every young person having access to regular out of school activities by 2025 can be achieved.

Delegates also assess the impact of the Youth Investment Fund in expanding and improving local youth facilities and services, and how it can be targeted to best support the development of young people’s health, wellbeing and skills.

Areas for discussion include:
• joint working - strategies for growing partnerships - examples and best practice in bringing together schools, local government, the third sector, businesses and other stakeholders
• developing the offer - funding priorities - how the scope of youth services can be widened - approaches bring taken at a local level by stakeholders to improve youth services
• focusing support:
     ◦ where investment should be targeted - mitigating the impact of the pandemic on youth services - promoting mental health and wellbeing
     ◦ tackling regional disparities - priorities for youth services in the most disadvantaged communities - support for those from disadvantaged backgrounds - facilitating social mobility
• maximising positive impact - use of youth services in equipping young people for educational progression & life pathways - boosting employability prospects - increasing children’s cultural capital
• priorities going forward - the ambition of DofE programmes for every state secondary school in England - the vision for the NCS - boosting uptake of extracurricular programmes and activities

Keynote sessions will be with Mark Gifford, Chief Executive Officer, National Citizen Service Trust; James Robertson, Deputy Director for Youth, DCMS; and Ruth Marvel, Chief Executive Officer, The Duke of Edinburgh Award.

Amongst further speakers who are expected to be discussing best practice and notable initiatives are:
• Jaffer Ali Hussain, Chair, Institute for Youth Work - on collaboration between sectors
• Jonathan Harper, Chief Executive Officer, Future Foundations - on the design of youth programmes and collaboration with schools and businesses to provide opportunities for young people
• Alison Oliver, Chief Executive Officer, Youth Sport Trust - on work with schools in the creation of extracurricular programmes
• Julia Brown, CEO, Brandon Centre - on supporting disadvantaged young people, coaching and life support
• Kevin Munday, Chief Executive, City Year UK; and Chief Executive, ThinkForward UK - on partnering with NCS in a pilot of the UK Year of Service

The conference will be an opportunity for stakeholders to consider the issues alongside key policy officials who are due to attend from the House of Commons.