A Bright Future For Young People In Calderdale

More young people in Calderdale will be able to access help with life’s biggest challenges, thanks to plans for a new Young Futures Hub.

Mental health services, employment opportunities and crime prevention support will be brought together, making it easier for young people to get help in their local community. 

After a successful bid for Government funding, Calderdale Council has been awarded £100,000 (with opportunities for further grants) to create a new Young Futures Hub, which people will be able to access in all parts of the borough. This will be one of 42 hubs across the country, announced by the Government as part of its National Youth Strategy. Thousands of young people jointly designed the strategy to give them the skills they need and increase their opportunities.

The Government has expanded its Young Futures Hubs and Transformation Programme to offer seamless support for young people facing challenges including poor mental health, unemployment and serious violence.

When the Calderdale hub is created, it will provide open access to sports, creative activities, trusted youth workers, mental health support, crime prevention, skills, training and help to get a job.

It will be delivered with Calderdale Youth Collective, which brings together the Council, young people, voluntary groups, schools, health organisations and others to help all young people access specialist services and community-based activities that support their personal, social and emotional development.

Cllr Tim Holden, Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Children and Young People’s Services, said:

“We want all young people in Calderdale to have the opportunity to thrive, whatever challenges they may be facing. The Young Futures Hub is about bringing together all the support that someone might need in the heart of their community, without them having to talk to lots of different people from different services and repeating their story every time.

“Local young people will be able to design the new hub with us and tell us what services they need – whether that’s wellbeing support, skills development or help to get into work.”

The Council is beginning to get plans for the Young Futures Hub underway, starting by looking at the support already available in Calderdale and how the hub can work with and build on this. As more detailed plans develop over time, in partnership with communities, options will be considered for services, locations and timescales.