Knowsley Council has been confirmed as a participant in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s (DCMS) Young Futures Hubs and Transformation programme.
The programme aims to improve local youth services and establish a network of 50 Young Futures Hubs by March 2029.
Knowsley has been selected to be one of the 50 Young Futures Hubs, which will offer positive, in-person connections for young people. They will provide integrated support aimed at boosting career opportunities, improving mental health, and reducing youth involvement in crime, including knife crime. It will ensure that young people aged 10 to 18 (up to 25 for those with SEND) can receive seamless, holistic support without having to repeat their story to a different service every time they visit.
Knowsley has already begun this journey through participation in the Local Youth Transformation programme, strengthening youth voice, developing local intelligence and service mapping, and improving connectivity across the local landscape. Now that Knowsley has been confirmed as a Young Futures Hub, it will plan and co-create its delivery with partners and young people.
Cllr Sean Donnelly, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said: “We know from our engagement work with young people that they want good quality youth provision that is safe, inclusive, welcoming and aspirational. The Young Futures Hub will provide an accessible entry point into Knowsley’s wider youth offer, bringing together opportunities, wellbeing support and early intervention within a coordinated, youth-centred model.
“We’ll now continue to build on the engagement that has already been done and create something with our young people which is aligned to their needs. I’m really looking forward to seeing this programme progress over the coming months.”
On 10 December 2025, the Government published “Youth Matters: Your National Youth Strategy – a 10-year plan to ensure every young person across the country has somewhere to go, someone who cares for them and a community they feel part of. The Young Futures Hubs and Transformation programme will help deliver many of the actions and fundamental shifts set out in Youth Matters.