Young Futures Hubs: Building blocks to brighter futures

Building on our experiences in supporting regions to establish collaborative initiatives such as Fostering Recruitment Hubs and Regional Care Cooperatives, Anya Kemble and Elizabeth Roe share lessons for the implementation of Young Futures Hubs.

In October 2023, the government unveiled the Young Futures Programme, a bold initiative designed to combat knife crime and address the growing mental health challenges faced by young people. Although the specifics of the programme's delivery are yet to be detailed, the government has emphasised that a cornerstone of this initiative will be the establishment of Young Futures Hubs. These hubs are envisioned as centres that will unify local services, offering support to teenagers at risk of being drawn into crime or grappling with mental health issues, and, where appropriate, providing universal youth services.

The concept of community-based support for young people is not new. There are valuable lessons to be drawn from various local and central government programmes that can serve as foundational elements for the implementation of Young Futures Hubs. This article builds on our experiences in supporting regions to establish collaborative initiatives such as Fostering Recruitment Hubs and Regional Care Cooperatives.

So, what are the key building blocks to consider during the design and implementation of Young Futures Hubs to ensure they are a success?

Design and implementation must be driven by young people with lived experience

Ongoing co-production with young people should be embedded from the very beginning. Young people have first-hand knowledge of the support that is lacking, the challenges they face when trying to access help, and what solutions would be effective for them. While this may seem obvious, it is often overlooked in the haste to deliver transformative programmes. Even after the hubs become operational, continuous engagement is essential to monitor performance and identify areas for improvement.

Identify a shared vision and strong leadership to bring partners together

Bringing staff together across organisations requires a strong, shared vision for young people and the organisations involved. From the outset, areas should collaborate to develop a ‘theory of change’, agreeing on a vision and working backwards to identify the desired outcomes, actions, and measures. This approach ensures that all partners understand what success looks like and provides a clear goal to work towards.

This vision must be reinforced by strong leadership that drives implementation forward and addresses any challenges that arise. From the start, areas developing Young Futures Hubs should identify a ‘champion’ to provide support and collaborate with other leaders across organisations. This will help maintain a commitment to establishing hubs that meet the needs of young people, rather than serving the interests of individual organisations.

Understand and build on what works, and be confident to change what doesn’t

Areas establishing Young Futures Hubs can learn from what has worked and what hasn't in previous initiatives both within their own areas and elsewhere. For instance, during the Fostering Recruitment and Retention Programme, areas identified good practices such as therapeutic training and addressed issues like delays in responding to enquiries from prospective foster carers. Similarly, in the Regional Care Cooperative programme, the Greater Manchester pathfinder began by identifying their challenges and building on their strengths, such as strong existing regional governance via the Greater Manchester Combined Authority.

Prospective hub areas should also draw lessons from other programmes like Family Hubs and initiatives like Oasis St. Martin's Village. Family Hubs integrate services to support families, while Oasis St Martin’s Village focuses on transforming the life chances of children and young people struggling with or absent from mainstream education. Both of these programmes will have rich learning that can inform successful Young Futures hub design and implementation.

Creating learning networks from the outset will help areas implementing hubs share successes, challenges and emerging practice

Capturing learning and best practices among areas developing Young Futures Hubs will be critical to their success. Through these discussions, colleagues across different hubs can collaborate to solve problems and offer advice, minimising the likelihood of repeating the same mistakes and fostering collective learning on what works.

Don’t underestimate the importance of enabling infrastructure

Enabling support is crucial when establishing new services or ways of working. While understanding the vision and intended outcomes is an essential first step, progress can stall without the necessary governance and clear implementation plans. It is critical to have a clear understanding of organisational governance and responsibility, outlining how different boards will interact and report to each other.

Young Futures Hubs present a clear and exciting opportunity for organisations to collaborate to better support young people. By considering the building blocks outlined in this article, the areas involved will have a solid foundation to achieve success.

If you'd like to talk more about any of the themes in this article, please contact Anya.Kemble@mutualventures.co.uk