A brand-new youth hub designed by young people for young people has officially opened at 11 Cannon Street in Birmingham. The Young Futures Hub is now welcoming those aged 10 to 18, and up to 25 for those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
Operating on an open-door basis and developed with direct input from young people, the space provides a safe, youth-led environment. Thanks to funding by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), refurbished ground-floor and basement spaces feature flexible activity areas, meeting rooms and IT facilities.
Young people visiting Cannon Street can access:
- Mental health and wellbeing support
- Careers guidance and employment support
- Skills-building and volunteering opportunities
- Youth workers and specialist support services
- Information, advice and guidance in a safe and welcoming environment
Cannon Street already hosts a growing network of partners, including Pause, Aquarius, the Virtual School, Careers Service, Department for Work and Pensions and the Serious Youth Violence Team, enabling young people to access a wide range of services in one convenient location.
Plans are also already underway for a second Young Futures Hub in Shard End to support young people, while digital pathways will help extend the modern youth hub’s reach beyond its physical locations. Outreach youth work is also taking place in the city centre on Thursday and Friday evenings.
“The Young Futures Hub is much more than a building,” said Councillor Kamel Hawwash, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Families. “It’s a place where young people can feel safe, supported and inspired. Whether they need advice, want to improve their wellbeing, gain new skills or simply have somewhere welcoming to spend time, this hub has been designed around their needs.
The Young Futures Hub is open Tuesday to Friday, 12pm to 6pm, at 11 Cannon Street, Birmingham B2 5EN.
