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Purpose - To evaluate the impact of rural renaissance projects aimed at overcoming issues of accessibility and out-migration of the younger, more economically active population and to consider what young people feel about education, training and rural living in Ryedale, North Yorkshire. Design/methodology/approach - Twenty Single Regeneration Budget (SRB) 5 projects focus on the 10-29 age group to improve their confidence, employability and opportunities to encourage them to remain in, or return to, Ryedale. Research includes interviews with project managers and a survey of Year 11 students in four secondary schools to reveal views on education, jobs and rural living. The 320 replies are compared with 378 from a 2001 survey. Findings - Educational attainment is rising. Young people expect to remain in education post-16, but leave Ryedale for educational and employment opportunities. Job aspirations suggest mismatches between requirements and availability, especially in skilled professional, associate professional and technical fields. Ryedale is increasingly perceived as a pleasant, secure environment; many wish to stay or return eventually. Research limitations/implications - The surveys feature Year 11 pupils. Further work might examine different age groups, areas and factors encouraging young people to stay in rural areas. Practical implications - The SRB 5 projects produced positive impacts, however, scope remains for greater representation of young peoples' needs and inputs into local services and decision-making. Originality/value - The paper offers a temporal comparison of surveys and projects related to young people in a rural area. It is of value to policy-makers and educationalists examining young peoples' perceptions and out-migration influences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]