Nottingham City Council has been awarded £925,000 by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) to accelerate the transformation of youth services across the city.
The funding, set to be formally accepted at a meeting of the Council’s Executive Board on 17 March, will support the city’s Young Futures Hub, which will bring together youth workers and a range of specialist professionals to give young people access to holistic support. This includes help with wellbeing, education and employment pathways, and early intervention to prevent harm and exploitation.
Nottingham is one of only eight local authorities selected nationally to pioneer the programme, placing the city at the forefront of shaping innovative, modern, and responsive support for young people.
Central to this transformation is the council’s commitment to co-producing services with young people themselves, ensuring their voices, experiences and creativity directly shape the support they receive. The investment aligns with national ambitions to improve opportunities, outcomes and service quality for young people. It reinforces the council’s commitment to delivering meaningful and lasting change for children and young people across Nottingham.
Councillor Cheryl Barnard, Executive Member for Children, Young People and Education, said:
“We are delighted that Nottingham has been awarded this funding, which is a strong endorsement of our vision for young people and the partnerships we have built across the city. Our priority is to work alongside young people to design services that reflect their real lives, aspirations and challenges. This funding strengthens our ability to deliver on our corporate priorities, ensuring every child and young person in Nottingham has the support, opportunities and safe spaces they need to thrive.”
The Young Futures Hub will bring together partners from across education, youth services, health, community organisations and safeguarding services to create a more joined-up system of support. The programme aims to improve early intervention, expand access to positive activities and ensure that young people can easily connect with trusted professionals in welcoming environments.
Sarah Nardone, Corporate Director for Children and Education Services, said:
“This investment marks a significant step forward in our transformation of local youth services. By embedding co-production and innovation at every stage, the Young Futures Hub will help us deliver more responsive, inclusive and effective support. It will strengthen partnership working across services, enabling us to reach young people earlier, reduce inequalities and create pathways to brighter futures. We are proud that Nottingham is helping to shape a national model that puts young people at the centre of decision-making.”
The Council will now begin the next phase of implementation, working with partners and young people to design and launch the hub, with further updates to follow as the programme develops.