Across the country, youth services are shrinking at a pace that should trouble us all. Over the last decade, local authority funding for youth provision has fallen dramatically, resulting in closed centres, reduced opening hours and thousands of young people left without safe spaces, trusted adults or the opportunities that help them grow into confident, capable adults. While many councils are being forced into impossible decisions about what to cut, Plymouth is choosing a different path. We are investing — boldly, deliberately and with a clear sense of purpose.
This makes Plymouth something of an exception in the national landscape, and that's precisely why our approach matters. Thanks to the Youth Investment Fund and the city's determination to put young people first, more than £2.3m has been invested in transforming three of our busiest youth centres: Frederick Street Centre in Stonehouse, Efford Youth and Community Centre, and Honicknowle Youth and Community Centre. These aren't just refurbishments. They represent a reimagining of what youth work can look like in a modern, ambitious city.
