The government has confirmed the first eight early adopter local authorities for its Young Futures Hubs initiative aimed at offering youth-led spaces for 10- to 18-year-olds.
The first wave of hubs is “targeted in areas with high levels of knife crime and antisocial behaviour”, to “benefit the most at-risk young people”, according to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).
Early adopters, which span eight regions of England, will select the precise location of their hub based on local needs. They are:
- East Midlands – Nottingham
- London – Tower Hamlets
- North East – Country Durham
- North West – Manchester
- West Midlands – Birmingham
- South East – Brighton and Hove
- South West – Bristol
- Yorkshire and the Humber – Leeds.
Under the plan, each early adopter will receive £100,000 for preparatory work between September 2025 and January 2026, ahead of delivery by March 2026.
An additional £4.2 million is being made available between February 2026 and 2027 through the Local Youth Transformation Fund – intended to help ensure “hubs are built on a strong foundation of capability and leadership to deliver youth services”.
In total, the hubs programme plans to launch 50 hubs over the next four years, creating a national network of safe, accessible spaces for young people.
The hubs are intended to deliver across three core outcomes: increasing opportunities, improving mental health and wellbeing, and reducing crime.
More on Young Futures Hubs:
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Comment: Young people are central to the success of Young Futures Hubs
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Analysis: The four key ingredients for Young Futures Hubs
Source: CYP Now
