Tower Hamlets has been selected as London's sole participant in a new national government initiative aimed at enhancing opportunities, wellbeing, and safety for the youth.
"Young Futures Hubs" is a programme backed by £2 million in government funding that will establish a network of inclusive youth centres across England.
Tower Hamlets joins Nottingham, County Durham, Manchester, Birmingham, Brighton & Hove, Bristol, and Leeds in leading this initiative.
The collaborative effort will shape the design and delivery of 50 planned hubs over the next four years.
Tower Hamlets Mayor Lutfur Rahman said: "I’m extremely pleased that Tower Hamlets has been recognised as a leader in youth service provision and chosen to help shape this important national programme.
"Tower Hamlets is the youngest borough in London, with an average age of just 30.
"Our young people are at the heart of our community, and giving them the best start in life is one of our top priorities."
The programme aligns with the council's goal to support every young person with access to safe spaces and opportunities.
Deputy mayor of Tower Hamlets, Maium Talukdar, cabinet member for education, youth and lifelong learning, said: "As someone who started out as a youth worker and attended youth centres myself, I know first-hand the difference these spaces make.
"As a council we value the importance of our young people and the role youth work plays in their lives.
"This year alone, we’ve expanded and improved our youth services significantly, giving young people access to safe spaces, opportunities, and tailored support."
Tower Hamlets has invested £13.7 million into its youth provision, Young Tower Hamlets, which was highlighted for the Young Futures Hubs programme for its strong provision.
This year, Young Tower Hamlets opened seven new youth centres, contributing to a total of 19 sites that have seen over 106,000 young attendees in the last 12 months.
The council offers a comprehensive range of financial support for youth and families, including education maintenance allowance, university bursaries, and school clothing grants.
It was also the first local authority to offer universal free school meals to both primary and secondary school pupils.
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