By the demoduck.co.uk news desk
Published: 2 June 2026
Young people in Plymouth who are claiming benefits are being offered wider support with work, training, housing and wellbeing as the city’s Youth Hub network expands.
The support is aimed at 16 to 24-year-olds who are Jobcentre Plus customers, with referrals available through work coaches. In Plymouth, the network now includes the established Skills Launchpad Plymouth Youth Hub at Cobourg House and new neighbourhood provision delivered by Argyle Community Trust.
The Department for Work and Pensions is funding Youth Hubs as part of a wider programme to put joined-up youth employment support in every area of Great Britain. Plymouth’s model brings employability help together with local services, so young people do not have to navigate several separate systems before taking a next step.
Who can use Plymouth Youth Hubs
The core Youth Hub offer is for young people aged 16 to 24 who are claiming benefits and working with Jobcentre Plus in Plymouth. Those eligible are encouraged to speak to their Jobcentre Plus Work Coach at their next appointment to request a referral.
The city centre Skills Launchpad Plymouth service is also wider than the benefits-linked Youth Hub route. Through Skills Launchpad Plymouth, local residents of all ages can access free information about jobs, apprenticeships, training, returning to education, starting a business and specialist employment support.
That broader offer matters because young people often need help before they are ready to apply for a job. Some may need confidence-building, mental health support, housing advice or a clearer understanding of what local employers are looking for.
Support available under one roof
Plymouth Youth Hubs bring Jobcentre Plus together with trusted local partners in community settings. The practical support includes CV writing, application help, interview preparation, careers guidance, skills training and links to volunteering, apprenticeships and employment.
The hubs also connect young people with mental health and wellbeing support, including local services such as Devon Mind where available through hub activity. Housing advice is part of the joined-up approach, recognising that unstable accommodation can make it harder to focus on training or work.
At Cobourg House on Mayflower Street, the Skills Launchpad Plymouth Youth Hub is available five days a week. Young people can receive one-to-one and group support, attend employer and training provider events, and explore routes into sectors with local vacancies.
The council gave the example of Lily, who first came to the Youth Hub with low confidence in social settings. With ongoing support, she developed her skills, strengthened applications and secured an apprenticeship with Plumbstop.
New neighbourhood hubs at Argyle sites
Argyle Community Trust is extending the Youth Hub offer into local neighbourhoods through Foulston Park, Manadon Hub and Home Park. The Foulston Park Hub will focus particularly on postcode areas PL1, PL2 and PL5.
The neighbourhood model is designed to make help easier to reach for young people who may not feel ready to travel into the city centre or engage with formal services. Activities, workshops and one-to-one guidance will combine employment support with personal development and wellbeing.
Caitlin Jones, Skills Manager for Argyle Community Trust, said the aim is to meet young people where they are, creating “welcoming community spaces” where they can build confidence, develop skills and explore opportunities close to home.
Plymouth’s expansion sits inside a national push
The Plymouth investment is part of a national commitment to establish a Youth Hub in every area of Great Britain. According to the source announcement, almost one million young people nationally are currently not in education or employment, an increase of 248,000 since 2021.
Eighty new Youth Hub locations have now been confirmed across the country, with plans to reach more than 360 areas. Plymouth’s provision builds on five years of delivery through Plymouth City Council’s Skills Launchpad Plymouth service.
Youth employment support is increasingly being measured not only by whether a young person gets a job quickly, but by whether the route is stable. Similar questions are being asked in other areas tracking young people after school, including in coverage of 16-18 NEET rates and post-16 routes.
Councillor Tess Blight, Cabinet Member for Education, Skills and Apprenticeships at Plymouth City Council, said the expansion builds on the established city centre hub and a wider network of training providers, support organisations and employers.
Lynne McBain, DWP Plymouth and Tamar Partnership Manager, said Youth Hubs play a vital role in helping young people take confident steps towards work, education and training, with support across mental health and housing as well as skills and employment.
How young people can access support
Young claimants should speak to their Jobcentre Plus Work Coach at their next appointment and ask about a Youth Hub referral. The work coach can help identify whether the city centre Skills Launchpad Plymouth Youth Hub or one of the Argyle Community Trust neighbourhood hubs is the right starting point.
People who are not claiming benefits can still use Skills Launchpad Plymouth for free careers and skills information, including apprenticeship bulletins, local training offers, employment sector guidance and upcoming events.
The expanded Plymouth Youth Hub network now covers support from Skills Launchpad Plymouth at Cobourg House, alongside Argyle Community Trust provision at Foulston Park, Manadon Hub and Home Park.
Source: Plymouth City Council
Source check Source trail
This article was adapted from Plymouth City Council’s published update and checked against the named local services and eligibility details in that source.
- Confirmed the eligible age range as 16 to 24-year-old Jobcentre Plus customers.
- Checked the named Plymouth delivery locations: Cobourg House, Foulston Park, Manadon Hub a...
- Separated the benefits-linked Youth Hub referral route from the wider Skills Launchpad Ply...
- Kept national figures attributed to the source announcement rather than presenting them as...
- Source
- Plymouth City Council
- Scope
- Plymouth
- Updated
- 2026-06-03 21:43
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