Cornwall to get two Young Futures Hubs, but where will they be?

Ask a teenager to explain what’s going on in their life once, and it’s hard enough. Ask them to do it again at a different office, then again somewhere else, and plenty will simply stop asking for help.

That’s the problem two new youth hubs in Cornwall are being designed to solve. Cornwall Council has secured up to £1.5m from the government to set up the sites, called Young Futures Hubs. The aim is to bring the services young people need under one roof.

What the hubs will offer

The hubs will give young people access to trained youth workers through one-to-one support and group activities. Alongside that, they’ll offer mental health support, skills and training, routes into employment, and crime prevention.

They’re for those aged 11 to 18, or up to 25 for young people with SEND. The idea is that anyone who walks in can get help without having to repeat their story to different services in different places.

And young people will help shape them. The hubs will be co-designed by the people who’ll use them, building on the Local Youth Transformation Pilot and what young people said they wanted from support for young people and families in Cornwall.

When and where

The two hubs are expected to open their doors from April 2027, with the funding covering the first two years of operation.

The exact locations haven’t been finalised yet. The Council says they’ll be based in areas with high numbers of young people, where they’ll be needed most. It’s hoped more could follow if the model proves a success.

‘A really beneficial project’

Gabriel, Chair of Cornwall Youth Council, welcomed the news.

“It is very exciting to see that young people in Cornwall are going to have access to these hubs in the near future. I think it will definitely improve opportunities for young people in the areas where these hubs are set up.

“I hope these spaces give young people a voice in shaping them through co-design, making sure they reflect what young people actually want and need. This particularly addresses the long-running issue for young people in Cornwall of rural isolation, and I think it could be a really beneficial project. I’m looking forward to seeing where it goes.”

Cllr Hilary Frank, Cabinet Member for Children, Schools and Families, said:

“Young people need safe places to go where they feel welcome and supported. That’s why I’m delighted that Cornwall has secured this funding to create two new Young Futures Hubs, giving young people somewhere they can have fun, build confidence, develop new skills and access help when they need it, all in one place.

“Every young person deserves the chance to do well, and this investment will make a real difference to children, young people and families in our communities. I’m incredibly pleased that we continue to be recognised for the strength of our youth services, and that we have this opportunity to build on the work already under way.”

Part of a national plan

The investment is part of the government’s National Youth Strategy, Youth Matters. It follows the success of early adopter hubs in places like Manchester and Bristol.

📷Involved teenage students discussing the task at table while teacher observes their progress