If you picture the coast of England and Wales, you might imagine buckets, spades, and carefree holidays. But for young people actually living there, the sea isn't a horizon of hope - it's a boundary that swallows opportunity. A 73% funding cut for youth services in England over 12 years, plus nearly 1 million 16- to 24-year-olds not in work, education, or training (Neet), has made things desperate. We traveled to 17 towns and heard from dozens of young people who are tired of being called lazy or feral while adults strip away the services they need.

Here's what we learned: 9 out of 10 of England's most deprived neighborhoods are coastal - seven in Blackpool, one in Hastings, one in Tendring - and Rhyl tops Wales' list. Yet coastal communities feel ignored. MP Polly Billington (Labour, East Thanet) chaired a parliamentary session where 16 young people gave evidence. "One of the most radical things we can do is bring them together," she said. Francesca, 18, from Blackpool, wants more than listening: "We do actually have plans, you know!"

Employment is a constant theme. Opportunities are halved by the sea, and young people want better info about work, especially through social media and work experience help. The government's new work experience scheme doesn't even cover coastal areas yet. Archie, 23, from Weston-super-Mare, asks for means-tested bus passes beyond age 18 so people can reach jobs.

Mental health is dire. A 2021 report by then chief medical officer Chris Whitty highlighted the coast's health crisis. In Fleetwood, early intervention redesigned young people's mental health support, cutting CAMHS referrals by 54% and A&E visits similarly. Lord Kamlesh Patel of Bradford, chair of the Coastal Navigators Network, says, "We don't need more research. We just need practical projects." But the government's new Young Futures Hubs - meant to support employment and wellbeing - only initially include Brighton and Hove, leaving other coastal areas guessing.

Still, there are sparks of hope. Orson, 18, from Blackpool, dances with House of Wingz, which just got a lottery grant securing it until 2031. Three of its dancers made the National Youth Dance Company last year. But youth groups like Pie Factory Music in Thanet - the last youth center in one of England's most deprived areas - are fighting to stay open. Emily Murray of Essex University sums it up: "What they need is long-term guaranteed funding. Just imagine what they could get done if they didn't have to spend all this time applying for tiny grants."