Plymouth Youth Hubs Expand Help for Young Jobseekers: what residents need to know

Young people in Plymouth who are claiming benefits can now access a wider network of Youth Hubs offering practical help with work, training, wellbeing and housing stability.

The expanded local offer is aimed at 16 to 24-year-olds who are working with Jobcentre Plus and need support to take their next step. It builds on five years of delivery through Skills Launchpad Plymouth and adds neighbourhood-based provision through Argyle Community Trust.

Funded by the Department for Work and Pensions, Plymouth Youth Hubs are designed to bring employment support and trusted local services into settings where young people can get joined-up help rather than being passed between separate systems.

Who can use the Plymouth Youth Hubs

The core Youth Hub offer is for young people aged 16 to 24 who are claiming benefits in Plymouth and are being supported by Jobcentre Plus. Young claimants are being encouraged to speak to their Jobcentre Plus Work Coach at their next appointment to ask about a referral.

The service is intended for young people who may be ready for work, looking at apprenticeships, considering training or volunteering, or needing more stability before taking those steps.

Skills Launchpad Plymouth also provides wider free information and resources for local people of all ages. That includes guidance on Plymouth’s employment sectors, returning to education, starting a business, finding a job or apprenticeship, and accessing specialist support for people facing additional barriers.

The wider public-service model reflects a growing focus on local wellbeing and practical support, similar to other council-backed community programmes such as local wellbeing support initiatives.

Support available at Cobourg House and Argyle sites

Plymouth’s established Youth Hub continues to operate through Skills Launchpad Plymouth at Cobourg House on Mayflower Street. The city centre service is available five days a week and offers both one-to-one and group support.

Help can include careers exploration, CV and application support, interview preparation, and access to training, apprenticeships, volunteering and employment opportunities. Young people can also attend events that connect them with local employers and training providers.

The source notice highlights one example: Lily, who first joined the Youth Hub with low confidence in social settings, built confidence and independence through regular support before securing an apprenticeship with Plumbstop.

Argyle Community Trust is now extending Youth Hub provision into neighbourhood settings at Foulston Park, Manadon Hub and Home Park. Its Foulston Park Hub will focus specifically on postcode areas PL1, PL2 and PL5.

Those community hubs combine employability support with personal development and wellbeing activity. The aim is to give young people a familiar local place to work through barriers, develop skills and explore education, training or employment close to home.

Why the investment is being expanded now

The Plymouth expansion sits within a national Department for Work and Pensions commitment to develop Youth Hubs across Great Britain. Eighty new Youth Hub locations have now been confirmed nationally, with plans to reach more than 360 areas.

The council’s source material says almost one million young people nationally are currently not in education or employment, an increase of 248,000 since 2021. In Plymouth, the wider provision responds to rising youth claimant numbers and the need for earlier, more holistic support.

Youth Hubs bring Jobcentre Plus together with trusted local organisations under one roof or within familiar community settings. In Plymouth, that means practical employability help can sit alongside mental health, wellbeing and housing advice.

Lynne McBain, DWP Plymouth and Tamar Partnership Manager, said young people can expect support across mental health and housing alongside skills provision and employment opportunities. She said the partnership is aimed at helping 16 to 24-year-old Jobcentre customers move towards and into employment.

Councillor Tess Blight, Plymouth City Council’s Cabinet Member for Education, Skills and Apprenticeships, said the city is building on the established Youth Hub at Skills Launchpad Plymouth while strengthening the community-based offer through Argyle Community Trust.

How young people can access help

Young claimants should speak to their Jobcentre Plus Work Coach and ask about a Youth Hub referral. The right location may depend on where they live, what support they need and whether a city centre or neighbourhood setting is the better fit.

For broader skills and careers information, Skills Launchpad Plymouth provides free online resources, including apprenticeship bulletins, training offers and local events.

Caitlin Jones, Skills Manager for Argyle Community Trust, said the neighbourhood approach is about meeting young people where they are and creating welcoming community spaces where they can build confidence, develop skills and explore opportunities close to home.

Source: Plymouth City Council