- Onside’s Generation Isolation Report reveals 39% of young people in England aged between 11 and 18 have turned to AI chatbots for advice, support or company.
- In the North West, that figure is 38% showing how many young people are relying on technology for connection.
- 21% say it’s easier to talk to AI than to a human, while 26% report feeling lonely.
- This use of tech for companionship and advice is shown against an underlying trend of loneliness in young people with 33% reporting high or very high levels of loneliness in the North West.
- Young people crave in-person friendship but report a lack of opportunities to meet new people. 49% said spending time with friends in real life helps them feel most connected.
- Young people say real-world spaces are crucial with 12% saying affordable, in-person social spaces and activities like those offered by Empower Youth Zones would improve their lives outside of school.
Youth charity Empower Youth Zones part of the OnSide Network, warns that growing digital dependence and lack of real-life social spaces is driving loneliness and disconnection in young people — as new research published today highlights that 38% of young people in the North West are turning to AI for advice, support or company.
OnSide’s Generation Isolation 2025 is the largest annual study of its kind into the way 11–18-year-olds spend their free time outside of school, based on a survey carried out by YouGov of 5,035 young people in England.
Now in its third year, the report shows that 34% of this age group is lonely while 43% report high or very high levels of anxiety.
Of those who turn to AI, 15% are seeking help with feelings and emotions like stress, sadness, and loneliness. A further 14% say they are looking for advice about friendships whilst 12% want someone to talk to.
These findings highlight just how vital spaces like Empower Youth Zones are for helping young people in the North West access the support, friendship and connection they now seek online.
Commenting on the findings, Empower Youth Zones, Chief Executive Adam Farricker said: “Technology is transforming how our young people live and learn, but our Generation Isolation report makes one thing clear: while tech can offer convenience, it cannot replace human connection. Young people tell us they want real-life friendships and trusted adult support, not just screens and chatbots. Empower Youth Zones provide exactly that: safe, affordable spaces where young people can build confidence, develop social skills, and feel part of a community. In a world where loneliness and anxiety remain high, these spaces are not a luxury, they are essential.”
Young people in North West and AI
When asked why they use AI, 59% in the North West responded that they use it for schoolwork or revision, 54% say it’s quicker and 21% say because it’s easier than talking to a real person. 10% say it’s because they didn’t have a friend or anyone else to turn to, and 11% say it’s too embarrassing or awkward to talk to an adult.
However, when it comes to levels of trust in what chatbots are telling them – only 7% of young people who use a chatbot say they trust it more than a real person, revealing a tension between what is easy for young people, and what genuinely provides the most appropriate support.
A post-pandemic death of real-life social interaction is taking its toll on young people, with 37% stating they do not have opportunities to meet new people or make friends beyond their social group outside of school.
76% of young people spend most of their free time on screens, a figure that has remained steady since 2023, and 49% of young people spend the majority of their free time in their bedroom.
Digital friendships
As online friendships and AI interactions fill the gap left by fewer real-world opportunities, young people are finding that quick digital connection often lacks the depth, trust, and belonging they crave.
In the North West, 53% say using social media and the internet makes friendship easier, 49% say being in person with their friends drives real connection. 39% believe someone can be a real friend if you have never met them in person. However, young people are also struggling to navigate how to communicate and maintain friendships through their phones. 52% say they have had a negative friendship experience online during the past year, and of those, 41% said it led to feelings of anxiety, 33% suffered a lack of confidence and 26% experienced loneliness.
In the North West, Young people are clear that real-world spaces matter with 12% saying affordable, in-person social spaces and activities would improve their lives outside of school. Youth clubs like Empower Youth Zones offer this – social, safe, and affordable spaces for young people to make new friends and try new things. While 92% of those attending a youth club reported it had made a positive difference to their lives and 56% of those saying this because they had made new friends, only 13% of young people surveyed attend a youth club.
Empower Youth Zones supports 2000 young people in Manchester and Salford each week to make friends, gain vital youth worker support and to take part in engaging and fun real-life activities. Young people say attending Empower Youth Zones (HideOut and Salford Youth Zones) helps them feel happier, more confident and more connected to others in their community.
Zephaniah, 13, is a member of Empower Youth Zones. Commenting on Generation Isolation 2025 he said: “Coming to the Youth Zone definitely helped because I don’t get that many opportunities to go to events and activities, so it really helped to know that there’s different places around the world and Manchester that can help support your dreams and what you want to do. Coming to the Youth Zone also helps with GCSE’s, finding a job or getting into a good college. I know there are some young people who use AI for advice and such, but I don’t really rely on it. I feel like talking to an actual person that will give you advice with meaning instead of a robot talking to you and I can learn many different things from the Youth Workers around me.
To read the full Generation Isolation report visit: www.onsideyouthzones.org/generationisolation
About Empower Youth Zones:
Empower Youth Zones is a youth work charity that exists to create a future where every young person has the opportunity to grow and succeed. Its mission is to give young people somewhere safe to go, something positive to do and someone trusted to talk to.
EMPOWER provides life-enhancing opportunities in its purpose-built youth centres, called Youth Zones, in Salford and East Manchester, equipping thousands of young people with the support, skills, and confidence to dream big, achieve more, and shape a future full of possibility.
As the largest employer of youth workers in Greater Manchester, EMPOWER combines grassroots community engagement with professional training.
About Generation Isolation
Generation Isolation, England’s largest study of its kind into young people aged 11 to 18 years, launched in 2022 and is now in its fourth year. This year’s survey of 5,035 11 to 18 year olds in England was carried out online by YouGov between 26 August and 12 September 2025. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all 11 to 18 year olds in England.
About OnSide
OnSide is a national charity that believes all young people should have the opportunity to discover their passion and purpose. To achieve this, it funds and builds state-of-the-art, multi-million-pound youth centres called Youth Zones in the country’s most economically disadvantaged areas, backed by a growing movement of local authorities, philanthropists and business backers.
Youth Zones are purpose-built spaces fizzing with energy and crammed with incredible facilities. They offer more than 20 activities each night ranging from football, climbing walls and cooking to skating, DJ-ing, drama and employability training with entry just 50p a night
Youth Zones are staffed by skilled, dedicated youth workers who believe in young people – helping them see what they could achieve, and giving them the skills, confidence and ambition to go for it. The growing OnSide Network of 16 Youth Zones sees 55,000 members through their doors each year. The charity is developing a further six Youth Zones in different parts of the country that will see its reach double over the next three years.
Each Youth Zone is an independent charity with its own private sector-led board. This model of local ownership is a key factor in ensuring the financial sustainability of each Youth Zone.
Visit www.onsideyouthzones.org for more details.