The new East Central Bristol Young Futures Hub brings together a wide range of youth activities and support under one roof
Edd Moore Editor-in-Chief
17:25, 02 Apr 2026
Full Circle Docklands Trustee and Cllr Townsend and Charmaine Lawrence CEO Full Circle Docklands.(Image: Bristol City Council)
A new Young Futures Hub opened in East Central Bristol yesterday marking a significant investment in the city’s young people and a major step forward in how youth support is delivered locally.
The new East Central Bristol Young Futures Hub, based at Full Circle Docklands in St Paul’s, brings together a wide range of youth activities and support under one roof ensuring there is ‘no wrong door’ to accessing services.
It aims to make it easier for young people aged 10 to 18 – and up to 25 for those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) – to access the right help, at the right time, close to where they live. Young people will be able to access opportunities including youth clubs, sports, music, skills‑based activities, mentoring, personal development support, emotional wellbeing services and careers guidance.
The new Hub is one of 50 Young Futures Hubs announced in the government’s new National Youth Strategy, an ambitious delivery plan to rebuild youth services over the next decade.
Councillor Christine Townsend, Chair of the Children and Young People Committee, launched the Hub at a special event held at Full Circle Docklands. She said the new Hub aligns with Bristol City Council ’s wider ambition to rebuild youth provision and develop neighbourhood‑based, preventative services that support children, young people and families within their communities.
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Councillor Townsend said: “Opening the first Young Futures Hub in the South West of England is a positive step for our young people here in Bristol. We are a young city and a city full of opportunities, and we want young people to be able to access these, to succeed and thrive in learning and in their future, to be healthy and safe and have a trusted adult to support them.
“This is an exciting opportunity to build a sustainable model of youth provision in the heart of our city working within and across communities. Our hub and spoke model brings trusted local organisations and services together in one place and provides an enhanced offer of connected activities and support in a number of locations in East Central Bristol, making it easier for young people to access opportunities and feel a sense of belonging in their community.
“As an early adopter area, we’re working closely with partners and young people to shape something that truly reflects their needs and aspirations. I’m really pleased to see the Hub open its doors, and I’m confident it will make a real difference to the lives of young people across Bristol.”
The Hub is part of a national Young Futures Hubs Programme led by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). Bristol is one of just eight local authorities selected as an early adopter and is the only Young Futures Hub in the South West of England. Bristol will receive almost £1 million to help develop the programme locally and contribute to shaping the future of youth support across the country.
The hub is at Full Circle Docklands(Image: Bristol City Council)
The Hub operates on a ‘hub and spoke’ model, with a central hub (Full Circle Docklands) facilitating access to a wide range of organisations and opportunities, creating a coordinated and enhanced network of youth provision across East Central Bristol, including outreach work in schools. While currently the model is still developing, it provides a strong foundation for a more joined‑up and sustainable approach to youth services.
Full Circle Docklands leads the Hub, working with a partnership of local voluntary and community organisations including Off the Record (OTR), Empire Fighting Chance, Aspirations Creation Elevation (ACE), Bristol Horn Youth Concern, Imayla, Creative Youth Network, The Swannery and Bristol City Council’s post‑16 team. The Hub also aims to strengthen links with schools and statutory services, helping young people and families navigate support more easily through clear referral pathways.
Lavell Smart, age 11, said: “I’m really pleased because I love coming to Full Circle, it gets me out the house (mum said it gets me off my PlayStation) and I love boxing so I’m glad it’s coming to the Hub.”
Kodi Kondwani, age 18, said: “I think that the new youth hub will be the start of something big and I’m glad to be a part of it and the opening of the hub just shows me that there is hope for the youth.”
Angell Charles, age 15, said: “I’m looking forward to seeing what the hub does, I think it’s good there will be more on offer for me and my friends.”
Tejaun Grant, age 14, said: “I’ve been coming to Docklands for years and happy that we will get more services in the area.”
John Miller, Case Lead for the National Youth Agency said: “Bristol has a clear and ambitious approach to involving young people in shaping local youth services. The Young Futures Hub and the Local Youth Transformation programme are central to the city’s alignment with the National Youth Strategy: Youth Matters.”
The launch follows extensive collaborative work with young people, community organisations and statutory partners. The offer will continue to grow and develop over the coming year as learning from the early stages of delivery shapes future activity.