The new entity would be called the National Youth Council and would “act as a membership framework with clear benefits, such as subsidised training, discounted resources, and networking opportunities to enhance youth engagement”, states The National Youth Agency's (NYA) report What the Future Holds.
The NYA took over BYC functions including its Youth Ambassador programme last year, after BYC closed due to financial challenges.
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Youth voice finds a new home
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British Youth Council: five factors behind demise of youth voice stalwart
BYC’s international work through membership of the European Youth Forum and Commonwealth Youth Council would continue within the new organisation, recommends the report.
The new entity would highlight “the UK's historical role as a leader in democratic youth participation” and provide “a strong national platform for youth representation, to ensure young people can contribute to domestic and international policy discussions which directly impact their lives”, adds the report.
Ensuring the National Youth Council has a youth-led executive board supported by an advisory expert group with representation across all four nations of the UK, is among other recommendations made.
The report's publication follows a consultation involving youth groups including The Scouts, OnSide Youth Zonesand Groundwork.
The NYA said it is "now exploring how the proposals can be taken forward with the backing of government and other funding sources".
The report details how the new setup should have a membership structure with fees and also be funded through a mixture of grants, corporate partnerships and government funding.
It also calls for the new organisation to “create opportunities for young researchers and investigate youth engagement in constitutional democracy and their influence on devolved policy decisions”.
“This report marks a significant step forward in reimagining how a National Youth Council to the UK can unite our nation of nations and amplify, empower, support and resource effective youth voice and influence structures,” said Esther Horner-Aird, NYA’s strategic youth voice lead.
“This network will allow young voices from all backgrounds to be heard, enable key policies to be interrogated and to ensure that young people across the UK are central to policy development and scrutiny, as well as local decision-making, that affects them.”
The BYC, which was set up by the Foreign Office in 1948 and became an independent charity 15 years later, announced its closure in March last year.
Youth parliament members warned the government that “youth representation is under a greater threat than ever” following its demise.
