How youth charity OnSide gives a platform to the voices of the next generation

As chief executive of the national youth charity OnSide, I spend a lot of time in youth centres across the country, meeting young people and hearing their stories. It’s the best part of my job and I leave every conversation energised, thinking a bit differently and wishing more people had the opportunity to listen to and learn from them.

Because what those of us who are lucky enough to work with young people already know is this: despite the stereotypes, they are not apathetic, disengaged or lacking in ambition. They’re not a problem to be fixed. They are brilliant. They care deeply about their communities. They want to be
heard, and they want to make a difference.

That’s what makes this special edition of Big Issue, edited by young people, so powerful and important. 

The young people behind this edition haven’t just been interviewed or featured – they’ve led the process, working alongside Big Issue’s editorial team to commission and write every article. Covering topics from mental health to immigration, gender, disability, prejudice, this edition is rooted in lived experience and provides a snapshot of the rich diversity of young people today: passionate, thoughtful and engaged in the wide range of issues that affect them. It also shows what can happen when young people are backed by adults who believe in them, listen to them and give them opportunities to lead – something we see in Youth Zones every day.

Each of the young contributors is a member of an OnSide Youth Zone – incredible youth centres that provide safe spaces where young people can access support from trained youth workers, connect with others, have fun and unlock their potential. 

Youth Zones are each co-created with young people and made possible by a unique partnership between them, local communities, businesses and councils, a model that reflects the belief at the heart of OnSide: that supporting young people is everyone’s responsibility. Last year, more than 50,000 made more than half a million visits to OnSide Youth Zones. With 15 open, and seven more set to open over the next year, this impact is only set to grow. We are working towards 35 Youth Zones by 2035, supporting 150,000 young people. 

We’re proud to support this edition and even prouder of the young people who have made it happen. At a time when so many are facing unprecedented challenges, we need more opportunities for them to be seen, heard and celebrated. 

As Tom, one of the contributors, puts it: “Young people can make positive choices. Adults need to stop making out that all young people are bad. You just need to give us a chance and believe in us.”

If we truly want a fairer, happier society, we must keep backing young people with the support, opportunities and spaces that help them thrive.

And if this issue is even a glimpse of what the next generation has to offer – I hope you’ll agree the future is in very good hands.

Find out more about Onside Youth Zones.

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