“Breaking the Cycle: London’s Youth Strives to Disconnect from Devices, Seeking Hands-On Alternatives”

On Monday 4 November, 2024, four OnSide Youth Zones in London, which collectively support 12,778 young people, released a call for better alternatives to smartphones. This call is based on new research from the youth charity, which reveals that 21% of 11-18 year-olds in London spend most of their free time on their smartphones. Additionally, 54% of young people in London express a desire to break the habit, but do not know how.

The Generation Isolation report, the largest study of its kind into the free time activities of 11-18 year-olds, was released in partnership with YouGov. The report shows that smartphone use is the most dominant free time activity for young people in London, with 24% spending most of their free time on their devices. The four Youth Zones in London – Future in Barking and Dagenham, Unitas in Barnet, Legacy in Croydon, and WEST in Hammersmith & Fulham – are part of the nationwide OnSide network of 15 Youth Zones and provide crucial support and activities for over 12,778 young people in London.

In response to the report’s findings, the four Youth Zones are calling for more viable alternatives to smartphone dependency. They specifically advocate for every young person to have access to high-quality youth centres and dedicated youth workers. These resources would help young people build meaningful, real-life social connections and experiences that are more compelling than the lure of a smartphone.

The Generation Isolation report, now in its third year, reveals that 1.3 million young people in England (24%) spend most of their free time on their smartphones. Of those who spend the most time on their devices, 52% express a desire to reduce their screen time, yet 46% do not know how to break the habit. This trend is reflected in London, where 21% of young people spend most of their free time on their phones and 54% would like to reduce their screen time, but 40% are unsure how to do so.

When asked why they spend so much time on their smartphones, 49% of young people in London expressed concern about feeling left out from their friends if they do not use their devices. Additionally, 30% stated that they have more friends to talk to on their phones than they do in real life, and 3% said that being on their phone is better than real-life experiences.

Furthermore, the report reveals that 51% of young people in London have experienced high or very high levels of loneliness, almost equaling the 56% who have experienced high or very high levels of anxiety.

When asked what could improve their lives outside of school, young people in London overwhelmingly stated a need for more affordable leisure activities (23%), safe and fun places to socialize (23%), and opportunities to learn new skills outside of school (26%).

The Generation Isolation report was released during National Youth Work Week, an initiative to raise awareness of youth work and youth workers. The report highlights the vital role that youth clubs play in enabling young people to build face-to-face connections, develop skills, and resilience. The vast majority (95%) of young people who attend a youth club in London report that it has had a positive impact on their lives, with “making friends and social interaction” being the most popular reason for this. Additionally, 96% state that their youth club has helped them develop new skills.

Together, London’s four Youth Zones join OnSide, which is currently developing eight additional Youth Zones in some of the country’s most disadvantaged areas, in calling for every young person to have access to high-quality youth centres. These resources would help young people build rich social connections, achieve their potential, and develop into happy, healthy, thriving adults.

Thirteen-year-old Maria from Thornton Heath, who has been coming to OnSide’s Legacy Youth Zone for a year, shares her perspective on smartphone use and the importance of youth clubs. She says, “My phone is my baby, I spend most of my free time on it, I feel anxious if I don’t have it. I would feel lonely without it. I walk around my house chatting to my best friends on FaceTime or Snapchat, they’re with me all the time. I use it for YouTube and Netflix and I like making TikTok films. When I walked into Legacy [Youth Zone] I just thought “Wow!”. I couldn’t believe they gave out food and had basketball and a gym and loads of other things going on. It felt crazy that they looked after all these people. I came on my own because I’d heard friends mention “going down Legacy” at school. I was curious. I spoke to two boys I’d never met before, and they showed me around. I come as many nights as I can now. I like meeting new people, rather than staying with the same gang of friends like everyone does