Read OnSide’s Generation Isolation report 2024 click here

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We're OnSide, a national youth charity that believes all young people should have the opportunity to discover their passion and their purpose.

Our mission is to empower young people to lead positive, fulfilling lives by providing access to incredible spaces and exceptional youth work, delivered by outstanding people, where they are needed the most.

To achieve this, we raise the funds to build a national network of state-of-the-art, multimillion-pound Youth Zones in the UK’s most economically disadvantaged areas. These youth centres, we call Youth Zones, are staffed by skilled and dedicated youth workers who truly believe in young people – helping them see what they could achieve, and giving them the skills, confidence and ambition to go for it.

Watch our video to witness the power of youth work, and read on to find out more about us.

The OnSide Network of Youth Zones

The OnSide Network of Youth Zones is a thriving collaboration of 15 independent local charities committed to exceptional, life changing youth work that has a genuine long term impact on the lives of young people.

They have a national reach and come together as a Network to share their experiences, learn and grow – while we provide training and support across almost every aspect of their operations.

Learn about the OnSide Network

Generation Isolation youth research 2024

Generation Isolation is based on responses from 5,213 young people in England aged 11-18, conducted in partnership with YouGov. We wanted to shine a spotlight on the social lives of young people by learning more about the 85% of time they spend outside of school

Here’s what we found.

Click here to read Generation Isolation

Get involved

When you support OnSide, you’re supporting all Youth Zones and every community, both now and in the future.

You’re supporting systemic change – through a growing national network of incredible spaces delivering inspirational, life-changing youth work.

And you are joining a growing movement of supporters who believe that how we treat the next generation defines who we are as a society. Find out how you can support our important work.

Support us

Stories from the Network - in their own words

We believe that young people should always own their narrative. Each one of the 50,000 Youth Zone members across the OnSide Network nationwide has their own unique story – which is theirs to tell.

Their stories bring to life what can happen when young people have the opportunity to experience the life-changing power of exceptional youth work – in their own words. Read some of their experiences.

Click here to read their stories

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Latest News

London Youth Zones represented OnSide in the 2024 Lord Mayor’s Show

11th November 2024 by OnSide

Over 50 floats and 7,000 participants took to the City of London streets on Saturday 9 November 2024 to welcome new Lord Mayor, Rt Hon…

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The loneliness loop: How smartphones are affecting young lives

7th November 2024 by Jamie Masraff, Chief Executive, OnSide

The debate on young people and smartphones has consistently made headlines recently, thanks to voices like Jonathan Haidt and movements such as Smartphone Free Childhood.…

Read more
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