Three members of the youth advisory group chatting. Two are sitting on a sofa, one is on the floor.

Why involving young people in decisions about their lives is a recipe for success

Published on
22 September 2024

Our new joint report with Co-op, "A Recipe for Success: How Children and Young People Want to Access Food in Their Communities", reflects on young people’s views and experiences of accessing food. 

Here, Ali Cooper, our Senior Policy Advisor on Child Poverty, shares some of what is in the report and explains why it’s important that young people's voices are included in decisions about their lives. 

What did the young people we spoke to tell us? 

Young people told us that getting good, nutritious food, in the places and spaces that work for them is key to them getting on in life.  

Different issues were raised, such as the availability and cost of accessing food. 

“Young people talked about feeling shunned from food banks, community kitchens, or even just public places to sit and eat food. Your mental wellbeing is impacted if you don’t feel welcome in your own community. It can make you feel very helpless.” Kyson*, Youth Advisory Group member. 

If there was one thing I could change about food in my local area it would be making it cheaper. My mum can only give me £5 to get something whilst I'm out and that’s not enough for food. It’s the main thing to focus on because some parents don’t get enough money, and they need to prioritise other things beyond food.

Jack*

Young person from Burslem 

Sharing food was also important to the young people we spoke to, including with friends and family.  

“I like places where families or friends can hang out and eat together, like a comfy place with cats maybe. That’s really important.” Chelsea* – young person from Burslem.  

Young people we spoke to also expressed interest in cooking. 

So many young people I know just don’t know how to cook, let alone make anything at home.

Nicol*

Young person from Hurlford 

What do young people want to see change? 

Based on the insight gathered from the young people we spoke to, we tested some of our recommendations for change with over 600 Co-op members aged 16-25 who supported our ideas, including: 

  1. Local Food Partnerships in every community  
    Young people told us they want to be directly involved in local food initiatives. That’s why we’re asking local authorities to establish food partnerships that include young people from the beginning. These partnerships can bring together businesses, community groups, and councils to improve access to food for those who need it most. 
     
  2. Expanding retail discount schemes  
    Consider ways that 16 and 17 year-olds can access discounted food by amending the terms of their retail discount schemes or considering the introduction of other discounts.  
     
  3. Addressing holiday hunger 
    Young people we spoke to told us that existing holiday programmes don’t meet their needs, especially as they grow older. They want to see a holiday food programme that’s accessible for all young people, not just those in primary school. We’re recommending a revised programme that considers the needs of teenagers when the current scheme ends in March 2025.  
     
  4. Bringing food into Youth Services 
    Young people see food as a way to bring people together, whether through cooking lessons or shared meals. By ensuring food is a key part of youth services like Family Hubs and afterschool clubs, we can create spaces where young people not only enjoy nutritious food but also build vital life skills. 
     
  5. Remove the reduced rate for under 25s in Universal Credit  
    Young people told us that being able to afford food was the biggest concern for them. If you are aged under 25 you receive 21% less in Universal Credit, which could make it harder to afford essentials like food. We’re calling on the Government to remove the reduced rate for under 25s. 
     
  6. ​​​​Review the Healthy Start Scheme 
    Young people told us that they are not all the same and they have unique lived experiences. They told us things could be more challenging for some young people, for example if they have their own children. We’re calling on the Government to make sure that schemes to help young parents afford food keep up with rising costs.  

The importance of youth voices 

Just 10% of teenagers believe they have the power to influence the issues they care about. We know that when young people are given the opportunity to have their voices heard and be taken seriously in decisions that affect them, it leads to better outcomes and improved services. 

We believe young people’s voices should shape what we say, how we work and the decisions we make so this is a key part of our partnership with the Co-op. 

We’re committed to listening and responding to their voices and experiences in all our work and speaking out alongside them on issues they care about. 
 

*Names have been changed. 

Young teenage girl laughing at a table wearing a pink strap top with her hair tied in a low ponytail

A recipe for success

This report focuses on one of the key foundations young people need to thrive: access to food. Young people tell us that getting good, nutritious food, in the places and spaces that work for them is key to them getting on in life. 

Youth Advisory group for Co-op and Barnardo's partnership

Our partnership with Co-op

Since May 2023, we have been working with Co-op to raise £5m to support positive futures of 750,000 young people.   

Woman running in Co-op t-shirt out side Co-op shop

How you can support young people

Join Co-op in making a difference to the lives of the young people we support. From donating online or at a Co-op till point, you can help support 750,000 young people across the UK.