Young people will be able to get advice, emotional wellbeing support and specialist services more easily through the city’s new Young Futures Hub Brighton, officially launched on 16 September 2026. We are proud to be part of the partnership through our Youth Advice Centre (YAC), providing wellbeing advice and support for children and young people across Brighton and Hove. 

Through the Young Futures Hub, the Youth Advice Centre (YAC) Brighton is expanding beyond its city centre base at Jubilee Library through a hub-and-spoke model, bringing support closer to young people in their own communities. The Hub is based at the 67 Centre in Moulsecoomb.

The Hub is part of a national programme designed to bring services together and make it easier for young people to get support before problems become more serious.  

Brighton and Hove was selected as one of just eight early adopter areas helping to shape the Government’s new model of support for young people. The programme brings together youth work, mental health support, skills, opportunities and community services through a joined-up local approach. 

The launch comes at a time when youth services continue to face significant pressures nationally. Government figures published alongside this week’s expansion of the Young Futures Hub programme show that, between 2010/11 and 2022/23 across England:  

• local authority spending on youth services fell by 73% 

• more than 1,000 youth centres closed 

• more than 4,500 youth worker roles were lost.  

The programme aims to strengthen local support networks and improve access to early help for young people.  

Launch of Young Futures Hub Brighton

The launch event brought together local charities, community organisations, statutory services and youth service delivery partners from across Brighton & Hove to learn more about the Young Futures Hub and how organisations can connect young people to support. 

Opening the event, Deb Austin, Executive Director for Families, Children & Learning at Brighton & Hove City Council, thanked partners for their contribution to developing the Hub and encouraged young people to continue playing an active role in shaping its future. 

Councillor Emma Daniel, Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Youth Services, spoke about plans for the Hub’s future permanent home as part of the city’s new youth centre development, including a skatepark and new homes, and recognised the commitment of partners who have worked together to make the project a reality. 

Jess Gibbons, Chief Executive of Brighton & Hove City Council, highlighted how the Hub had been designed with young people, not simply for them, and stressed the importance of organisations working together across youth services, education, health and other sectors to improve outcomes for young people. 

The afternoon also featured performances from young people supported by AudioActive, showcasing the creativity and talent of young people across the city and highlighting the importance of keeping their voices at the heart of the Hub. 

The Brighton & Hove Hub will support young people aged 10 to 18, and up to age 25 for those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Services focus on early support and helping young people find opportunities in their communities.  

Through YAC Brighton, young people can get support across all aspects of their wellbeing. As well as emotional wellbeing advice, our team includes specialists in housing, family mediation and financial inclusion, helping young people get the right support at an early stage.  

A young person using the Youth Advice Centre (YAC) Brighton said: 

“YAC has given me the chance to talk openly about things that were bothering me and offered great advice and encouragement when I needed it most. They’ve also helped me build my confidence and connect with others who understand. I’m really grateful for everything they do — it’s such a positive and caring environment, and I’d recommend it to anyone who needs support or just someone to talk to.“ 

YAC also works closely with other YMCA DownsLink Group services, including e-wellbeing, the Brighton & Hove Wellbeing Service and WiSE, which supports young people at risk of online exploitation and grooming. The service is also delivering a pilot project with The Carers Centre to better understand and reduce barriers faced by young carers when seeking advice and support. 

Thom Palser, Head of Youth Advice and Support at YMCA DownsLink Group, said: 

“For more than 35 years, YAC has provided advice and support for young people across Brighton & Hove. At a time when youth services have faced significant challenges nationally, with spending falling and many youth centres closing, the Young Futures Hub is an opportunity to strengthen local support through partnership working and earlier support. 

“We’re proud to be part of a city-wide approach that makes it easier for young people to find the right support when they need it.” 

Leon Groombridge, Manager of YAC Brighton, said: 

“The embedding of the Youth Advice Centre within the Young Futures Hub is an important first step towards making support easier to find for young people. 

“Working from community locations across the city will help us reach young people who might not otherwise walk through our door. Through the Hub, we can build on trusted local relationships and connect young people with the wellbeing advice and specialist support they need, when they need it, before problems become more serious.” 

The Young Futures Hub is being led by Brighton & Hove City Council in partnership with local organisations and national sector bodies, with young people helping shape how services are designed and delivered. 

For YMCA DownsLink Group, the programme builds on the long-standing work of YAC Brighton, extending trusted advice and support into communities and helping more young people get support at the right time and in the right place