First “Young Futures” Youth Hubs Launch Across England in Effort to Rebuild Youth Services

The first wave of government-backed Young Futures Hubs has begun opening across England, marking a significant step in a national effort to rebuild youth services and tackle youth crime.

Eight pilot locations—including Birmingham, Brighton and Hove, Bristol, County Durham, Leeds, Manchester, Nottingham and Tower Hamlets—are hosting the new centres, which aim to bring a range of support services together under one roof for young people.

The hubs form part of a wider government programme that will eventually see 50 centres established in areas identified as having higher levels of antisocial behaviour and youth violence. The initiative is supported by around £70 million in funding and sits within a broader ten-year strategy worth more than £500 million aimed at rebuilding youth provision across the country.

A One-Stop Support Network

Unlike traditional youth centres, the new hubs are designed as integrated support spaces where multiple services operate together. Young people will be able to access mental health support, careers advice, training opportunities, and youth activities in a single location.

The hubs are open to those aged 10 to 18, with support extended up to 25 years old for young people with special educational needs or disabilities.

In many areas, the centres will work alongside multi-agency panels made up of schools, police, children’s services and community organisations. These partnerships aim to identify young people at risk earlier and ensure they receive the right support before problems escalate.

The programme arrives after a long period of declining youth provision in the UK. Government data suggests more than 1,000 youth centres have closed since 2010, while local authority spending on youth services has fallen sharply over the same period.

Ministers say the new hubs are intended to help reverse that trend by creating safe, welcoming spaces where young people can build relationships with trusted adults and access positive activities.

The policy also connects to wider efforts to address youth violence, particularly knife crime. The government has pledged to halve knife crime within the next decade, with youth services seen as a key part of prevention strategies.

Co-Designed with Young People

A notable feature of the initiative is the involvement of young people themselves in shaping the design and services offered at each hub.

Consultations carried out during the development of the national youth strategy involved more than 14,000 young people, many of whom highlighted the importance of having accessible spaces, meaningful activities and supportive adults in their communities.

Local projects are also adapting the model to suit community needs. Some hubs will operate as networks of venues across neighbourhoods rather than relying on a single building, helping reach young people who may struggle to travel to central locations.

A New Chapter for Youth Work?

Youth sector organisations have welcomed the launch as a potentially transformative moment for youth services.

Advocates argue that integrated hubs could strengthen partnerships between youth workers, education providers and community organisations, while also improving access to early support for vulnerable young people.

However, experts say the long-term success of the initiative will depend on sustained investment and strong local collaboration.

With the first eight hubs now operating, the government plans to expand the network over the coming years as part of its wider youth strategy.