Young people in Plymouth who are claiming benefits are being offered wider access to practical help with work, training and stability as the city expands its Youth Hub network.
The hubs support 16 to 24-year-olds through Jobcentre Plus referrals, bringing employment advice together with help on confidence, mental health, wellbeing and housing. The model is designed for young people who may need more than a job search appointment to move into education, volunteering, apprenticeships or paid work.
The latest expansion adds Argyle Community Trust as a Youth Hub partner alongside the established Skills Launchpad Plymouth service at Cobourg House. Together, the services give young claimants more local options, including city-centre support and neighbourhood-based help in parts of Plymouth.
Who can use Plymouth Youth Hubs
The Youth Hubs are aimed at young people aged 16 to 24 who are claiming benefits and are Jobcentre Plus customers in Plymouth. Young claimants are being encouraged to speak to their Work Coach at their next appointment to ask about a referral.
The support is not limited to a single route into work. A young person may be ready to apply for jobs, looking for an apprenticeship, considering a return to education, or needing time to deal with barriers such as housing pressure, poor confidence or wellbeing concerns.
Skills Launchpad Plymouth also offers wider free information and resources for local people of all ages, including guidance on key employment sectors, apprenticeships, starting a business, returning to learning and specialist help for people facing additional challenges.
Support available before a job application
Plymouth Youth Hubs bring Jobcentre Plus together with local services in community settings, so young people can get several types of support in one place.
The help available includes:
- CV writing and application support
- careers guidance and exploration
- interview preparation
- access to training, apprenticeships, volunteering and job opportunities
- skills development and workshops
- mental health and wellbeing support
- housing advice where needed
- employer and training provider events
At Cobourg House on Mayflower Street, the Skills Launchpad Plymouth Youth Hub runs as a city-centre service five days a week. Young people can receive one-to-one help and group support, with clear progression routes into training, employment and apprenticeships.
The council highlighted Lily, a young person who joined the hub with low confidence in social settings. After sustained support with skills and applications, she secured an apprenticeship with Plumbstop.
Neighbourhood hubs add help closer to home
Argyle Community Trust is extending Youth Hub provision through Foulston Park, Manadon Hub and Home Park. Its Foulston Park Hub will focus specifically on postcode areas PL1, PL2 and PL5.
The neighbourhood model is intended to reduce practical barriers for young people who may find it easier to engage in familiar local spaces rather than travelling into the city centre. The offer combines employability support with personal development and wellbeing activities.
Caitlin Jones, Skills Manager for Argyle Community Trust, said the approach allows support workers to meet young people where they are, while helping them build confidence, develop skills and explore opportunities close to home.
For employers and families following youth employment trends, the Plymouth expansion also sits within a wider debate about how early work experience shapes local economies. Beehive readers can find related context in this guide to hiring young talent for summer roles.
Why the investment is being expanded now
The Youth Hub expansion is funded by the Department for Work and Pensions and forms part of a national commitment to establish a hub in every area of Great Britain.
Nationally, almost one million young people are not in education or employment, according to the source announcement. That figure has risen by 248,000 since 2021. Eighty new Youth Hub locations have now been confirmed, with plans to reach more than 360 areas.
In Plymouth, the model builds on five years of delivery by Plymouth City Council’s Skills Launchpad Plymouth service. The addition of Argyle Community Trust follows rising youth claimant numbers and is intended to create a more joined-up citywide support network.
Lynne McBain, DWP Plymouth and Tamar Partnership Manager, said Youth Hubs help young people take steps towards work, education and training while also offering practical support around mental health and housing.
How young people can access support
Young claimants should ask their Jobcentre Plus Work Coach about a Youth Hub referral at their next appointment.
Those referred may be connected with the Skills Launchpad Plymouth Youth Hub at Cobourg House or with Argyle Community Trust provision at Foulston Park, Manadon Hub or Home Park, depending on their needs and location.
Councillor Tess Blight, Cabinet Member for Education, Skills and Apprenticeships at Plymouth City Council, said the strengthened community-based offer is intended to respond earlier and help young people build the skills, confidence and stability they need to move forward.
Source: Plymouth City Council
Source check Source trail
This guide is based on Plymouth City Council’s 2 June 2026 announcement and keeps the access route, locations and eligibility details tied to that source.
- Confirmed the age group as 16 to 24-year-old benefit claimants in Plymouth.
- Checked the named delivery partners: Skills Launchpad Plymouth, Argyle Community Trust, Jo...
- Verified the listed hub locations: Cobourg House, Foulston Park, Manadon Hub and Home Park...
- Kept national figures in context: almost one million young people not in education or empl...
- Source
- Plymouth City Council
- Scope
- Plymouth
- Updated
- 2026-06-03 21:38
Source check
Report a trust issue
Send a clear signal to community moderation if the source, facts or context need review.
Comments