Youth Clubs

What is it?

Youth clubs are community-based settings that provide safe and inclusive environments for children and young people to socialise and learn outside of home and school. They are open access, meaning, all can attend voluntarily at little or no cost, and without needing a referral or meeting eligibility criteria.  

Youth clubs are typically run by trained youth workers and supported by volunteers. They provide engaging activities shaped by young people’s interests and preferences, opportunities to spend time with their peers, offer informal support and guidance, and may connect young people to wider services such as mental health or educational support. 

Provision is flexible and varies by site, from modest community rooms with basic equipment to large purpose-built complexes with a wide range of facilities. Most combine social, educational, and cultural opportunities. Some examples include: 

• Recreational activities such as dance, and arts and crafts. 
• Mentoring and one-to-one guidance to support young people achieve personal goals. 
• Sports and physical activity such as football or basketball. 
• Non-formal educational activities such as tutoring, study groups, or careers advice. 
• Cultural activities such as celebrating Black History Month. 
• Volunteering and social action activities such as nursing home visits or Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.  

Youth clubs are typically open several times a week, allowing young people to drop in voluntarily and take part in structured activities and unstructured time. In some cases, youth clubs offer further support such as substance abuse services and counselling. Yet, it is more common for youth workers to signpost and connect young people to external services for further support. 

Youth clubs may reduce violence and offending by providing access to safe and supportive environments, support from trusted adults, and opportunities for social connection, personal development and informal learning. These elements interact and reinforce each other. Through regular voluntary participation, young people build confidence, strengthen social and emotional skills, and develop trust in supportive adults. In the longer term, these can reduce isolation, increase community belonging, and help divert young people away from unsafe environments, while also opening pathways to education, employment, and wider support services. 

Is it effective?

The research suggests that, on average, the impact of youth clubs on preventing violence is likely to be moderate. 

The evidence suggests that youth clubs may reduce offending by 13%. 

We used measures of both violence and offending to estimate impact on violence because only one study provided violence specific outcomes. 

The research also estimates that youth clubs may improve school engagement by 6% and community connectedness by 15%.  

How secure is the evidence?

We have very low confidence in our estimate of the impact of youth clubs on offending.  

We gave this rating because the estimate is based on only two studies. Both studies were conducted in the UK, one was rated high-quality and one moderate-quality.  

Who does it work for? 

There is limited evidence on who benefits most from youth clubs. Six studies, half of which were from the UK, along with a national survey data from England and Wales, explored outcomes by gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. 

Gender 

Studies from the UK show that boys may experience improvements in school enjoyment and reductions in truancy when attending youth clubs. National survey data from England and Wales show that boys are more likely than girls to attend youth clubs, particularly in sports-based or community settings.  

Ethnicity 

Survey data from England and Wales show that Black children are the most likely to attend youth clubs, while White children are least likely to attend. Attendance among Black children is particularly high in school- and faith-based youth clubs, which could suggest that these are effective settings for engaging young people from these communities.  

Socio-economic status 

A study from the UK found that youth club closures had a greater negative impact on children eligible for Free School Meals, including higher rates of school absence and lower educational attainment, which suggest that youth clubs may matter more where disadvantage is higher.    

How can you implement it well?

Seventeen studies provided evidence related to implementation of youth clubs, with six from the UK. 

Make clubs affordable and accessible 

Youth clubs should be offered for free or at low-cost, so that all children and young people, regardless of background, can participate. Ensure that these spaces are both physically and emotionally safe, providing welcoming, youth-friendly spaces where young people feel respected. 

Use proactive outreach and local partnerships to widen access. Staff report that public outreach is essential for raising awareness and reaching families who may otherwise be excluded. Work with schools, community groups, and local services, and offer activities that reflect local cultures and interests to support sustained engagement. 

Provide both structured activities and unstructured time 

Balance structured activities such as sports, arts, or skills training with unstructured time that encourage peer interaction. Allowing young people to choose how they spend their time helps build autonomy. Ensure youth workers are actively present during unstructured time to mentor and support young people when needed. 

Invest in skilled and trusted youth workers 

Youth clubs work best when staffed by experienced, qualified youth workers who can build supportive relationships, act as role models, and connect children and young people to wider services when needed. Provide ongoing training and supervision in safeguarding, youth engagement, trauma-informed practice, additional support needs awareness, and Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Equity (EDIE) principles.  

Make inclusion visible and specific 

Offer inclusive activities and safe spaces that meet the needs of different groups, such as gender-specific activities or dedicated sessions for LGBTQ+ young people. Work with local community organisations that provide specialist guidance, tailored activities, and appropriate resources for children and young people with neurodivergence and additional support needs. 

Allocate long-term investment 

Funders and commissioners should provide long-term funding so that youth clubs can maintain consistent provision and retain skilled staff. Short-term or uncertain funding disrupts delivery and the trusted relationships that take time to build. Children and young people that are most at risk of involvement in violence often need longer to develop trust and rapport with adults.  

Co-create the space with children and young people 

Co-designing the space -its layout, activities, and norms—provide young people with a sense of ownership and belonging. Regular check-ins and informal feedback allow youth workers to adapt provision, so the space genuinely reflects young people’s needs and experiences.

How much does it cost?

On average, the cost of youth clubs is likely to be low. 

Cost estimates from current UK youth clubs suggest an average cost of £473 per child per year. Costs to youth services usually involve service delivery, staff training, facilities, and resources for activities such as sports, arts, and educational programmes. Youth clubs that provide intensive or specialist support, such as counselling or skills training, will incur higher costs. 

Topic summary

• Youth clubs are open-access spaces where young people can socialise, take part in activities, and receive informal support from trusted adults. They offer safer alternatives to environments that may increase risk of involvement in violence, crime, or harmful behaviours, and to promote inclusion and community connectedness.
• The evidence suggests that youth clubs have a moderate impact on offending and may improve school engagement and community connectedness.
• Our confidence in the estimate of impact on offending is very low since it is only based on only two studies.  
• Implementation studies show that youth clubs work best when they are affordable, inclusive, and sustained through long-term funding, with skilled youth workers and meaningful involvement of young people in shaping activities. 
• On average, the cost of youth clubs is low, and little to no cost to children and young people. 

Take away messages 

• Invest in youth clubs, particularly in areas where children and young people are at greater risk of involvement in violence. Expand provision by opening new clubs in underserved areas and by increasing funding to existing ones so they can stay open more frequently, reduce staff-to-attendee ratios, and provide more targeted support. 
• Ensure youth workers receive regular training and supervision. 
• Provide targeted support within the youth clubs, such as counselling and substance misuse services, for children and young people who may not access formal provision elsewhere. 
• Provide long-term funding for youth clubs, to ensure children have time to develop trusting relationships with youth workers and maximise the impact of youth clubs on violence prevention.  

YEF guidance, projects and evaluations 

Youth sector guidance

Implementation resources for delivery organisations and those responsible for commissioning. 

External links

Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s barriers and enablers to participation in youth activities research 

The research aimed to provide a better understanding of the motivations and patterns of participation amongst different groups of young people, thus informing the design of future policy interventions to engage more young people to participate in the ways they want. 

National Youth Agency safeguarding and practice standards 

Resources to support safeguarding practices and best practices in delivering youth work legally, safely, and effectively. 

National Youth Agency resources to support local authorities 

A range of resources, guidance and access to learning opportunities to support Local Authorities to deliver optimum youth work provision and fulfil statutory duty. 

Network of Regional Youth Work Units 

A hub that brings together independent organisations working across the youth work sector to promote good practices and young people’s voices. 

Local Government Association’s Must know for youth services report 

A guide for councillors that explains what youth services are, what councils are legally required to provide, how current guidance and funding work, and where to find practical tools to improve local youth work. 

Downloads