The Listen Up Report from leading youth and education agency Hark reveals that up to 10 children in every classroom suffer from little or no confidence, creating and reinforcing an ‘unheard third’ who are at risk of being left behind by more confident peers throughout their lifetime.
London, UK – Wednesday, July 2nd, 2025 – An alarming confidence crisis affecting many vital aspects of child development, including educational participation, social skills and career prospects, is harming the present and future lives of one in three (31%) adolescents. That is according to the latest Listen Up Report from leading youth and education agency, Hark. Based on a comprehensive survey of over 1,400 11- to 18-year-olds in the UK across diverse backgrounds, the analysis reveals critical insights into the confidence levels of the nation’s young people and the profound impact low confidence has on their lives compared to their more confident peers.
The unheard third: A generation lacking confidence
The study reveals a generation lacking confidence, highlighting that, on average, ten children in every classroom across the UK have little or no confidence. This, in turn, affects their participation in school, their ability to build relationships, and their future aspirations, exposing what is referred to as an ‘unheard third’.
As the report notes, many students in the education system today are experiencing a confidence crisis. This may be attributed to a combination of factors, including but not limited to the lingering impact of Covid-19, the pressure to maintain an ‘online persona’, the fear of judgment, particularly for girls and minority groups, and a lack of emotionally safe spaces to speak openly. Such pressures are most acute during adolescence, when young people are shaping their identities and future paths.
Confidence dips at critical life stages
The report identifies key transition points where confidence noticeably drops. While 71% of young people feel confident at the start of secondary school (age 11), this dips to 65% by the time they leave school at 16 – a period where low confidence peaks, with 35% saying they feel little or no confidence. While confidence does increase again by age 18 (74% feel confident), this drop during the mid-teen years marks a vulnerable period with long-lasting effects on young people’s development.
Regional divides: A confidence gap shaped by place
The confidence gap isn’t evenly spread across the country. Confidence levels are notably higher in London, where 87% of young people say they feel very or quite confident – the highest of any region surveyed. In contrast, young people in Northern Ireland (43%), Wales (41%) and parts of the Midlands (35%) are far more likely to report low or no confidence.
Young people in regions such as the North of England (32%) and South of England (33%) also report higher levels of low confidence compared to the London average. While no single factor explains these differences, the data suggests a strong link between confidence levels and access to education funding, mental health support, youth services, and wider social opportunities. In this way, the confidence crisis is shaped by regional and structural inequalities as much as individual experiences.
The self-perpetuating cycle of low confidence
Children lacking in confidence are the least seen and the least heard. They are not raising their hands in class, not joining clubs, and not speaking up, even when they have something valuable to say. This invisibility creates a vicious circle where the quieter they are, the more they withdraw into themselves, leading to further loss of confidence.
“We’ve always been aware that confident young people put themselves forward more, meaning they’re more likely to receive encouragement, be chosen for leadership roles, and be selected for development opportunities,” said Hark co-founder Victoria Millar. “What our research shows is that, despite the best efforts of educators, in school, in friendships, and in long-term prospects, children who lack confidence are being left behind. For them, diminished low confidence reinforces their invisibility.”
Additional demographic disparities
In addition to the above, analysis points to socioeconomic and gender disparities, reminiscent of the widely reported adolescent mental health crisis, already disadvantaged groups bear the brunt. Specifically:
- Socioeconomic variations: A staggering 37% of those from lower socioeconomic groups report having little or no confidence, compared to 27% of their more advantaged peers.
- Gender imbalances: More than a third (34%) of girls report little to no confidence compared to three-quarters (73%) of boys who say they are very or quite confident. Strikingly, even when girls do feel confident, almost half (44%) pretend not to be for fear of being perceived as showing off.
Real-world costs for young people and society
The report indicates this youth confidence crisis has very real implications and far-reaching consequences. Only 7% of non-confident youth frequently express their opinions, and 67% never speak to unfamiliar adults. Over the course of their lifetime, this has a detrimental impact on their ability to succeed in job interviews, leadership roles, and networking opportunities.
Apprenticeship providers, further education institutions, recruiters and businesses are already dealing with the knock-on effects of a generation entering the workforce with low confidence. Poor soft skills, rising anxiety and self-doubt are leading to less diversity of thought, higher dropout risks, and vastly underdeveloped talent pools.
Confidence is not a personality trait; it’s a broken social pattern
“Hark’s Listen Up Report underscores the urgent need for youth support services, brands, organisations, and parents to take action,” added Millar. “Confidence gaps aren’t personality traits; they’re broken social patterns shaping who gets seen and supported. The fix requires creating spaces where quieter voices can thrive. We all have a crucial role to play by developing soft skills early, making initiatives more inclusive, celebrating all kinds of progress, and investing in youth through education partnerships and community-led programs. It’s up to us to listen louder and empower our young people to be heard.”
You can read the full report here: https://harklondon.com/listen-up
