About

We’re here to create a more equal world of work and raise young women’s incomes. We tackle sexism and misogyny, with and for anyone who has experienced this.

We offer young women free coaching, feedback on job applications and information to help them get where they want to be.

We bring together a network of thousands of young women to support each other, build their self-belief, and have their voices heard.

We work with young women and anyone who experiences misogyny and sexism to campaign for equality in the workplace.

And our research provides insight into what young women’s lives are really like, fuelling our campaigns for change.

Why are we needed?

These are not easy times to be a young woman.

They’ve been told they can be anything they want to be. But the reality is very different. The pay gap starts from the first day of working life. One job’s often not enough to get by on. Caring responsibilities still fall more heavily on women. Sexual harassment and discrimination are part of everyday life.

And sexism is getting louder again.

The rights and freedoms that previous generations fought for feel up for grabs. Misogynistic influencers, everyday sexism brushed off as banter, online abuse that aims to shut women up. No wonder mental health problems are on the rise and many young women aren’t hopeful about the future and their place in it.

It doesn’t have to be like this. Young women should be able to shape their futures with security and confidence. Our society could choose to value them, respect their choices and bring out the best in them.

Because when young women are held back, we all lose out — on talent, ideas, and potential. And equality means freedom for everyone to choose who they want to be and how they want to live.

That’s why Young Women’s Trust are here. We believe in young women, we support them to build the futures they want, and we campaign alongside them for a fairer world where young women can live and work on equal terms.

The difference we’re making

Every year, we help thousands of young women build brighter futures through practical support, trusted advice and campaigning for change. We work alongside young women to increase their incomes, grow their confidence and challenge the barriers holding them back at work and in society.

Our support changes lives today while our research and campaigns push for the long-term changes young women deserve. Together with young women, supporters and partners, we’re creating a fairer world of work where every young woman can thrive.

In 2025–26 we:

Supported 2,265 young women, providing 3,840 coaching sessions, workshops and career support opportunities
Helped 49% of young women increase their income after using our services
Helped 42% of unemployed young women find work within six months
Increased confidence and self-belief for 63% of young women
Helped 63% feel more optimistic about their future
Delivered 27 workshops reaching 420 young women, with 87% feeling less isolated

Our vision and purpose

Our vision is a world where young women are valued, can make choices and look forward to a fairer financial future.

Our purpose is to create an equal world of work and raise young women’s incomes.

Read about our values and principles

Our goals

Our ultimate goal is to close the income gap between young women and young men.

To lay the foundations for this, we are focusing on two key goals:

Visibility, voice and power
A more equal world of work

The first goal influences the second: we believe that giving greater visibility, voice and power to young women is an essential first step towards a more equal world of work.

Equity, diversity and inclusion

Young Women’s Trust strives to be an anti-racist organisation. We acknowledge that this is a continual and ongoing process. What this means for us is:

Inside our organisation:

We will create and nurture a culture where all staff feel a sense of belonging.

We will facilitate our staff’s learning and development on anti-racism.

We will develop and monitor progress against an EDI action plan, including tangible targets as well as outlining our broader approach to building an inclusive culture.

In our external-facing work: 

We will use our voice to speak out against racism and racist misogyny.

We recognise that Black and racially minoritised young women face greater inequalities than white young women, and we will develop services and influencing strategies which address this.

We recognise that the experiences of white middle-class women are too often centred in conversations on gender equality. We will seek to change this narrative and will prioritise the experiences and voices of racially minoritised young women.

We recognise that we have a lot of work to do. But our anti-racist vision and EDI action plan are the starting point. We will continually prioritise this work, making space to discuss, learn and reflect as we make active progress towards becoming an anti-racist organisation.

Note on terminology

We use the term ‘Black and racially minoritised’. This term recognises that individuals have been minoritised through social processes of power rather than just existing in distinct statistical minorities. It also better reflects the fact that ethnic groups that are minorities in the UK are majorities in the global population. 

Gender diversity

We are here to create a world where young women are valued, have choices and can look forward to a fairer financial future. We tackle sexism and misogyny, with and for anyone who has experienced this – including trans women and non-binary people.

We work with all young women, including trans young women and anyone who experiences misogyny, including non-binary people, to campaign for equality in the workplace.

Our history

Young Women’s Trust started its journey as part of the YWCA, which was founded in 1855. It was rebranded as non-religious organisation Platform 51 before becoming Young Women’s Trust in 2013.

Media centre

Visit our Media Centre, where you can find our latest media releases and search our news archive.

A group of young women pose for the camera on a sunny day

How we work with young women

We believe young women are a powerful force for change. At Young Women’s Trust, young women who have experienced low pay or unfair treatment at work are at the heart of everything we do. They help shape our strategy, influence our day-to-day work, and drive change through their voices, insight, and experience.

Young women get involved in many ways: joining project groups to design campaigns, services, and fundraising initiatives; sitting on our trustee board to help guide key decisions; or becoming Ambassadors who share their experiences with politicians, employers, funders, and the media. They also amplify their voices through social media, our blog, and by interviewing new staff. Additionally, we collaborate with peer researchers who help design our research, conduct fieldwork, and share findings.