Birmingham City Council to Launch Young Futures Hub as Part of National Youth Transformation Programme

Funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), this programme’s aims, to transform youth services by creating inclusive, welcoming spaces that provide coordinated support for young people aged 10–18, and up to 25 for those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) are aligned with Birmingham’s Youth Service vision and transformation journey.

The Young Futures Hub will be a vibrant, youth-led environment offering opportunities to improve mental health and wellbeing, access careers advice, and participate in enriching activities such as sports, arts, volunteering, and skills-based projects. It will operate on an open-door basis, ensuring universal access while delivering targeted support for those who need it most. Alongside physical spaces, the hub will include digital pathways to reach young people wherever they are.

This initiative forms part of Birmingham’s wider 0–19 transformation strategy, which has already introduced Family Hubs to provide integrated support for children and families. The Young Futures Hub will complement this work by focusing on older children and teenagers, helping them build confidence, resilience, and a sense of belonging. Delivery will be through strong partnerships between statutory services, voluntary organisations, and community groups, ensuring a seamless and accessible local offer.

Birmingham has been selected as one of eight local authorities to lead this national programme. The city will benefit from £500,000 through the Local Youth Transformation Fund to strengthen existing youth provision and up to £300,000 to establish the hub. A one-off capital funding payment of £125,000 is also available. The programme runs from October 2025 to December 2026, with the hub informing national rollout from 2026–2029. A co-design process with young people and local partners is already underway, with the hub scheduled to open in April 2026.

The Early Adopters Programme also includes a comprehensive review led by the National Youth Agency, working alongside young assessors and local partners. The recent review focused on nine core areas, including needs assessment, youth engagement, safeguarding, workforce planning, and monitoring impact. Recommendations will ensure the hub reflects the voices of young people and meets local needs.

Cllr Mick Brown, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People & Families, said: “Our Young Futures Hub marks a major step forward in creating safe, empowering spaces for Birmingham’s young people. It’s more than a building—it’s a vibrant community where they can access mental health support, learn new skills, explore careers, and shape the activities on offer. We’re proud to co-design it with young people to ensure it truly reflects their needs and aspirations. It’s great that we now have a government who are investing in Birmingham and its young people.”

The Young Futures programme is a key part of the government’s vision to establish 50 hubs across England by 2026, embedding them as a lasting feature of local youth provision. Birmingham City Council is committed to ensuring that its hub becomes a cornerstone of opportunity, wellbeing, and safety for young people across the city.

For more information about the Young Futures Hubs programme, visit:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/young-futures-hubs