London, Apr 6 (PTI) Lisa Nandy, the UK’s Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, on Monday launched the first set of eight “Young Futures Hubs" in areas of England with high levels of anti-social behaviour and knife crime.
The British Indian minister said the first of a planned network of 50 such hubs will provide joined-up services across mental health and wellbeing, employment and crime prevention.
Tower Hamlets in east London, Birmingham, Brighton, Bristol, Durham, Leeds, Manchester and Nottingham are among the areas to get the first hubs as part of the British government’s National Youth Strategy.
“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," said Nandy.
“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,” she said.
The minister blamed the previous Conservative Party administration for the closure of over a thousand youth centres since 2010, which she said the Labour government was working to address.
“[The closures] didn’t just take away facilities, it took away community, connection and opportunity for a generation. We are determined to rebuild that," she added.
The new hubs will build on existing services to create safe, welcoming spaces, bringing a range of local support services under one roof. Young people aged 10-18, up to 25 years for those with special needs, will have access to trusted adults who will provide wellbeing support, careers guidance, and positive activities like sport, arts and volunteering.
“The government is committed to ensuring that success for young people is not determined by their background, and the hubs will also offer support for vulnerable children. These activities help divert young people away from knife crime and anti-social behaviour, as well as combat social isolation and mental health, and increase access to job opportunities for young people," the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) stated.
DCMS said its Young Futures Hubs programme, part of a 70-million-pound investment into local youth services running until March 2029, has been designed to create youth-led spaces where young people can enjoy real-life connections – with somewhere to go, something to do, and someone who cares for them.
The move coincides with a plan to halve knife crime within a decade in the UK. 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.
Policing Minister Sarah Jones said: “Knife crime devastates lives. Behind every statistic is a child who didn’t make it home, a family whose world has been shattered, and a community left with fear.
“This government will halve knife crime within a decade, saving lives and protecting communities. We will roll out Young Futures Hubs in crime hotspots across the country to divert young people from violence, cut crime and protect communities.”
“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," added Minister for Youth and Civil Society Stephanie Peacock.