Engaging young people to improve survey participation

Challenge

Response rates among 10–15 year olds to surveys have declined over time. To understand what could be done to improve engagement and response, Verian partnered with Word on the Curb (WOTC), an agency specialising in engaging with young people, to conduct an initial qualitative study with groups of 10–17 year olds across the UK, with a mix of ethnicity, gender and socio-economic group.

The objective was to understand young people’s sentiment towards surveys and identify opportunities to increase engagement and participation among this age group.

The study explored perceptions by age group, including views on design, content and support needs. We sought to understand the emotional and practical barriers to participating and completing surveys and identified age-appropriate engagement levers to increase participation across age groups.

Approach

The WOTC study generated six key recommendations to improve engagement and participation among young people.

Make participation Ongoing, not one-off: For longitudinal studies, think about participation as more than a one off, annual standalone task. While this can motivate some young people, it can also leave them feeling disconnected from being part of a study, making it easier to deprioritise. Introducing light quarterly touchpoints could help them feel part of something ongoing rather than extractive, for example through learning updates, personal survey milestones and celebration messages.

Focus on tangible impact: To complete surveys, young people are motivated by concrete outcomes rather than abstract ideas such as national importance or scale. Straightforward explanations about what a survey covers, why their responses matter and how findings can improve the lives of children like them make participation feel intentional and worthwhile.

Build trust early: Whilst all surveys we deliver provide clear reassurances around privacy, safety and data use, young people wanted us to communicate key reassurances earlier in the recruitment process, to help build trust before they begin to engage with survey materials in more detail.

Reduce perceived effort: Referencing a specific time commitment (for e.g. 15 or 20 minutes) can unintentionally deter younger participants and create performance pressure. Framing the experience as ‘quick and easy to complete’ may reduce perceived effort and make starting the survey feel more manageable, while remaining consistent with the MRS code of practice.

Use a simplified, peer voice: Although familiarity is helpful, academic-style instructional content can feel overly formal and can lead to disengagement. School-style cues such as quiz formats and multiple-choice questions can build confidence, but explanations are likely to be more effective when delivered in a near-to-peer voice.

Provide simple and relevant feedback: Young people want to feel heard and know their responses count. Providing straightforward, age-appropriate feedback, such as headline findings or warm thank-you video messages, helps close the communication loop and reinforces the value of taking part.

Impact

This work gives us a clearer evidence base for how to adapt our survey experience for young people. The recommendations provide practical ways to build trust, reduce barriers to completion and create a stronger sense of relevance and belonging for participants.