Council secures £600k investment to boost opportunities for young people in Northumberland

The funding has been awarded to Northumberland County Council through the Government's Young Futures Hubs and Local Youth Transformation Programme.

It is one of only 26 local authorities nationally selected to take part in the programme and one of just 16 councils to be allocated funding for two Young Futures Hubs.

Each hub is eligible to receive up to £300,000 in programme funding.

The programme is designed to strengthen local youth services while providing young people with safe, welcoming spaces where they can access support, opportunities and trusted relationships.

The hubs will bring together services focused on improving mental health and wellbeing, supporting education and employment opportunities, and reducing young people's vulnerability to crime and exploitation.

Northumberland will also benefit from funding through the Local Youth Transformation strand of the programme. This investment will help strengthen youth services by supporting workforce development, enhancing partnership working and driving long-term service improvements.

Cllr Guy Renner-Thompson, cabinet member for Children and Young People at Northumberland County Council, said: “This is a major success for Northumberland and reflects the hard work that has gone into securing this funding for our young people.

“We now want to make the most of that investment. As one of England’s largest rural counties, it is particularly important that young people can access support and opportunities wherever they live.

“Young people themselves will be at the heart of shaping the hubs and our wider youth offer, helping us build on the work already taking place across Northumberland and deliver services that reflect their needs and aspirations.”

As one of England's largest rural counties, Northumberland faces unique challenges in ensuring young people can access support and opportunities regardless of where they live.

The programme presents an opportunity to develop innovative approaches to delivering joined up youth services across a large geographical area, creating a more connected network of support that links youth provision, mental health services, education, employment support and community organisations around a shared vision for improving outcomes for young people.

Work has now begun on the programme's planning and co-creation phase.