A survey of young people, by the charity, found that of those asked 54 per cent said their mental health has been negatively impacted by the cost-of-living crisis and 45 per cent added that it has impacted their ability to afford heating.
One in five said that it has impacted their access to regular meals.
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Youth Investment Fund to boost vital support for young people
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Cost-of-living toolkit for youth workers launches
UK Youth has produced a YouTube video which features Bailey Smith, who starred in BBC drama The Split and performs as rapper Doc Brown, discussing his personal experiences as a youth worker and highlighting current levels of demand for services.
The actor, who worked in youth services across London for almost two decades, said his work in the entertainment industry has allowed him to have a greater involvement with organisations like UK Youth and a more profound impact on young people he supports.
“I feel I can make a bigger difference now, than I did as a youth worker; it’s a double whammy, I feel both skillsets as an actor and a former youth worker come together, as opposed to 15 years ago.
“As the encouragement comes from somebody they recognise from the telly or someone who has a success story with a similar background to them, it’s twice the impact,” he said.
Bailey Smith has urged others to volunteer to support young people attending youth clubs and services.
He said: “It’s not really a chore, and it doesn’t take much time or energy, to help out every now and again.
“You need to do minimal research to find out who operates on a charitable level in an area that you are interested in, be that climate change, homelessness or employment support."
UK Youth’s campaign highlights the importance of investing in young people, during a time at which local authorities are spending 77 per cent less on youth services than they were more than a decade ago.
Despite a £1bn cut to youth services funding since 2011, UK Youth reports that 63 per cent of organisations are seeing an increased demand for support services.
Meanwhile, 67 per cent are also facing increased operating costs. Youth services are also seeing a 51 per cent decrease in funding combined with a 53 per cent drop in staff wellbeing, the charity found.
Bailey Smith said: “While areas such as youth services, police security, health and higher education should be financially supported on a statuary level, unfortunately this is not the world we live in.
“Therefore, charities such as UK Youth are founded and grow exceptionally due to need, to support youth services which are massively oversubscribed.”
However, funding cuts mean providers are "at risk" of being unable to provide vital emotional support to young people, the actor warned.
“Youth services are hugely important and beneficial to young people; one of the biggest tragedies [facing young people] beyond crime, poverty or homelessness for young people is the emotional factor of feeling that no one cares.
"When you feel cared for, you can achieve more; you have confidence and a higher self-esteem, because you feel like you matter," he said.
The campaign also aims to raise awareness among young people around the availability of youth services.
“I would like every young person in the country to know that this is available to them at little or no cost, and I would also like the rest of the country to acknowledge that investment in young people is not a waste of money.
“Supporting young people is akin to supporting everybody; the NHS, education, housing services, positive employment. It’s good for all of us," Bailey Smith added.
Ben Bailey Smith - youth work CV
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1991-2001: Westminster Play Association - where he aided in after-school activities for primary aged children
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2001: Horizon - youth worker at the youth homelessness charity in Camden
- 2001-2008 (part-time from 2005): Salusbury World - co-managed a club for the children of asylum seekers and refugees in north west London. He worked part-time in several local authorities and got involved in different areas of youth work, including music production for teenagers and at Waltham Forest (DV8), where he developed practical access courses that were equivalent to B-Techs or A-Levels. During his time at DV8, he also worked with young people not in education, employment or training.
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2002-2003: National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) Level Three in Youth Management
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2004: Worked with young offenders for Southwark Council
