Building a Movement for Change
GoodGym announcing national youth-led volunteering movement in 2026
October 14, 2025
For young people today, connection looks different.
Our Social lives have shifted online, opportunities to meet others are fewer, and loneliness is rising faster in this generation than any other.
The pressures are real, from the cost of living and job insecurity to social media and the lasting effects of lockdowns.
Many young people are caught between worlds: constantly connected, yet often isolated.
Young people in towns and cities across the UK have shared what it's like to be young now. The challenges, their hopes and what makes them feel more connected:
- Real-world spaces to meet and belong
- Flexible, social opportunities to give back
- Ways to feel useful and make an impact, without huge time commitments
- A sense of purpose and community beyond work, college and screens
Together, we are shaping something new.
Our programme
In 2026, GoodGym will launch a three-year national volunteering and fitness programme with and for young people, designed to create opportunities to connect with each other and their communities and take ownership of social action in their area.
Through this programme, we will:
- Engage 25,000 young people in volunteering and community activity
- Train 200 young leaders to inspire and mobilise their peers
- Provide 3,000 opportunities for social action across the UK
Building on what we know works, combining movement and volunteering, this programme will expand GoodGym’s model to reach more young people than ever before.
Evaluation by the London School of Economics (LSE) shows that through GoodGym sessions, young people feel more connected, supported, and part of something bigger.
They build friendships, confidence, and a sense of belonging while making a tangible difference where they live.
This work was launched at an event at the House of Lords supported by Baroness Beeban Kidron, Stephanie Peacock MP and Kim Leadbeater MP.