SPFL Trust to deliver 10 new Youth Hubs bringing opportunities to communities across Scotland
Written By fergus.mckilligin
The SPFL Trust has welcomed the expansion of Youth Hubs across Scotland, with 10 new locations set to bring vital employability support directly into communities.
Delivered in partnership with the Department for Work and Pensions, the hubs will be based in West Dunbartonshire, North Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, Clackmannanshire, North Lanarkshire, Dundee City, South Ayrshire, Fife, Falkirk and West Lothian, ensuring young people across the country can access support close to home.
Youth Hubs are designed to support young people aged 16 to 24 by bringing together a range of services in one accessible, trusted space. Through local football clubs and their community trusts, participants will be able to access jobcentre support, skills and training opportunities, careers advice, and direct links to employers offering live vacancies and apprenticeships. Alongside this, the hubs will also provide wider wellbeing support, including access to mental health and housing services, helping young people overcome barriers that may be holding them back.
By embedding this support within football environments, the programme builds on the strong relationships clubs already have within their communities, creating spaces where young people feel comfortable, supported and motivated to take their next steps.
Chief Executive Nicky Reid said: “We’re extremely proud to have been chosen to deliver these vital Youth Hubs in partnership with the DWP across the country.
“Football clubs and their associated community trusts are places where many young people feel a strong sense of connection, making them a natural fit for this programme.
“These initiatives will play a crucial role in helping participants access the training and support they need to take the next step in their careers or education.”
UK Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said: “We are connecting young people with employers, investing in their training and delivering support so they can take the first step into work, as we reform the welfare state into a working state.
“This is about breaking down barriers, opening doors and ensuring every young person in Scotland can earn or learn, wherever they live.”
Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander said: “The Youth Hubs initiative being extended to 10 areas across Scotland over the next year will ensure that young people have access to everything from CV advice to mental health support so they can fulfil their potential.
“This is about backing Scotland’s young people with the support, training and guaranteed employment they need to build careers, not just find jobs.”
The expansion of Youth Hubs is part of a UK-wide effort to tackle youth unemployment and ensure every young person has the chance to progress, regardless of where they live. A recent Youth Guarantee Jobs Fair in Glasgow, attended by more than 2,400 young people, underlined the scale of demand and the importance of creating clear, accessible pathways into employment.