Young people in eight locations across England, including Newton Aycliffe in County Durham, will benefit from the first ‘Young Futures Hubs.’ The hubs, targeted in areas with high levels of anti-social behaviour and knife crime, will, according to the government:
- Transform the lives of young people, cut crime and protect communities
- Divert them away from knife crime and anti-social behaviour
- Provide them with services and advice to combat social isolation, mental health and unemployment
- Give access to safe, trusted adults
The first wave of eight hubs are located in places from London and Brighton to Leeds and Manchester. All are open or will open shortly, said the government. A total of 50 hubs is planned over the coming four years at a cost of £70mn.
Hubs would build on existing services, and create safe, welcoming spaces bringing a range of local support services under one roof, said the government. Young people aged 10-18 (and up to 25 for those with SEND) would have access to trusted adults who would provide wellbeing support, careers guidance, and positive activities like sport, arts and volunteering.
Somewhere to go
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said: “The closure of over a thousand youth centres since 2010 didn’t just take away facilities, it took away community, connection and opportunity for a generation. We are determined to rebuild that.
“These hubs are about more than bricks and mortar; they’re a statement that this government believes in young people and is investing in their futures. What makes them different is that we’re joining things up – wellbeing support, crime prevention, work coaches, youth services, all in one place.
We’re making sure teenagers have somewhere to go, someone to talk to, and a real chance to thrive.”
In some areas, the hubs will work with new multi-agency young futures panels, to ensure children at risk of knife crime are provided with the support they need. The panels bring together the police, children’s services, schools, and community organisations to identify vulnerable children early, spot risks that may otherwise go unnoticed, and ensure they are quickly referred into the right support before issues escalate, according to the government.
Minister for Youth and Civil Society Stephanie Peacock said: “When this government developed the national youth strategy, we listened to over 14,000 young people from across the country. What came through clearly was that they wanted somewhere to go, something to do, and someone who cares. Young futures hubs are part of our response to this and we are delighted to see the first eight up and running.
“Hubs are places where young people can belong, with trusted adults and positive activities all under one roof. Keeping young people safe and away from crime starts with making sure they have the right support around them, and that’s exactly what these hubs deliver.”
The new hubs mark a start in reversing the decline in youth services in recent years. According to the government, spending on youth services by local authorities dropped by 73% over the last decade, with 1,036 council-run centres closing since 2010.
*This report is based on a government press release.
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