A new Youth Hub has opened in Rossendale to help young people aged 16 to 24 into work or training, according to the Department for Work and Pensions. The hub will run on Mondays at the Adrenaline Centre in Haslingden, and on Wednesdays and Thursdays at Future's Park in Bacup.
It brings together Jobcentre Plus, the local council, employers and training providers in one place. Young people can get help with CVs, skills training, careers advice, mental health support and housing advice. The hub works with local partners including WorkWell, Citizen's Advice, Rossendale Borough Council and Active Lancashire's Rossendale Works programme.
National rollout
The Rossendale hub is part of a wider plan to open a Youth Hub in every local area of Great Britain over the next three years, from Manchester and Salford to Dundee and Newport. The government says it is investing £2.5 billion to make sure all young people can earn or learn. Almost a million young people are not in education, employment or training.
Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said the hub was "a major step forward" for young people in Rossendale. Councillor Alyson Barnes, leader of Rossendale Borough Council, said finding work or training was often about more than applying for a job, and the hub would help build confidence and connect young people with employers.
What it means in practice
If you are aged 16 to 24 and live in Rossendale, you can now walk into a Youth Hub on three days a week and get help with work, training, mental health and housing in one visit. The same model is coming to other areas, so it is worth checking whether your local area has one yet. The support is free and you do not need an appointment.
- Check the days and places — Mondays at the Adrenaline Centre in Haslingden; Wednesdays and Thursdays at Future's Park in Bacup.
- Bring what you have — a CV if you have one, but you can still get advice without it.
- Ask about local jobs — the hub connects young people directly with employers and apprenticeship opportunities.
