One of the reasons fusion musics are important in encouraging young folkies is that young people can study traditional instruments while knowing that doesn't restrict them to playing antique music. The Scots, who also fund their traditional arts (although not as well as the Irish), have been especially good at this, with traditional instruments having key roles in famous and internationally successful bands such as Wolfstone, the Peatbog Faeries, Shooglenifty, and Salsa Celtica, amongst others.

England also has some shining examples, especially early fusion bands such as Edward II, but young people have been less supported to follow their example within English culture.

On a different note, one of the most popular "young" (or not now) traditional music bands to emerge in the English folk scene in recent years has an origin story worth bearing in mind with regards to several comments in this thread. The Young'uns met as teens and encountered folk music while underage drinkers in a local pub. They enjoyed the music and returned to Stockton Folk Club, where "One day someone said 'let's hear a song from the young'uns' and we sang this one verse we knew from a sea shanty".

When we welcome, encourage, and support young folkies, however they choose to engage with traditional music, then they reward us in the fullness of time. You don't have to like every individual effort to recognise that a thriving traditional music scene will produce more of everything including the specific things that you like.