Young People in West Berkshire, What are they saying?

The 2025 Youth Survey  held by West Berkshire Council gave over 5,000 children and teenagers the chance to have their say..

The results show some positive things, that most young people feel safe in their local area , which is good news, but they also highlight some real challenges and worries:

• Mental health and wellbeing is top of mind for 44% of young people.

• Bullying, including online, affects 42%.

• Vaping and substance use came up for 41%.

• Body image and self-esteem worry 38%.

• 
  

Young people said there aren’t always enough safe, fun, and affordable places to hang out or take part in activities , especially if you live in a more rural area, and getting around can be tricky too, with limited transport making it harder to get involved.

For young people with disabilities or additional needs, life can feel even more challenging, with lower wellbeing scores across the board. You can read the report here to find out more: West-Berkshire-Youth-Survey-Report-2025.pdf

These results give us a window into what really matters to young people in West Berkshire their mental health, their friendships, and having safe spaces to just be themselves.

Health is important too, and we want young people to feel confident about looking after themselves.

Keep an eye out for an exciting new project we will be doing, aimed at 13–25-year-olds in our community. It will help young people learn about their health rights, get to know the NHS App, and understand how to use it, so they feel empowered to make their own decisions about their health.