Beyond the Jobcentre: Why local freelancers could be the most effective career mentors for UK’s 180 new youth hubs

Imagine sitting in a local library in Cardiff, staring at a laptop screen. You are 21, you have sent off dozens of job applications that have gone unanswered and you haven’t had an interview in six months.

This is the reality for thousands of young people across the UK right now.

Recently released data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows that the number of young people aged 16 to 24 who are not in education, employment, or training (NEET) has officially passed the one million mark, climbing to 1,012,000. It is the first time the UK has crossed this sobering milestone in over a decade.

To tackle this growing crisis and the decimation of youth-focused council budgets, the government has confirmed the locations of nearly 180 new Youth Hubs across England, Scotland, and Wales. Backed by a £2.5 billion investment, this expansion aims to place job support services directly into the spaces where young people already gather, such as libraries, sports clubs and community centres.

The goal is to ensure no young person is more than an hour away from personalised support by public transport.

The announcement follows the government’s partnership with career and job networking site LinkedIn. The partnership will entail the platform providing anonymised data from LinkedIn’s pool of 40 million UK accounts, helping the DWP obtain the best possible data within the Jobs and Careers Service.  In the future, this could be used by the new Jobs and Careers Service to provide jobseekers with more tailored advice on industry-specific skills and career routes, helping them to reach their goals. 

Moving support out of the Jobcentre and into Youth Hubs

Areas including Inverclyde, St Albans, and Cardiff will see these new hubs open at the heart of their communities. The idea is to move support out of traditional, often intimidating jobcentres and meet young people where they feel most comfortable.

Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden explained the thinking behind the rollout:

We want to make sure young people are getting real, personalised support that’s not one size fits all. I want to turbocharge this rollout so that every young person has this support within reach that can help them move into learning or earning.

While the government provides the physical spaces and financial incentives, such as the £3,000 Youth Jobs Grant for businesses, the success of these hubs will depend on the practical advice available inside them.

This is exactly where the UK’s independent work community can step in. By giving just a few hours a month, volunteer freelancers can help bridge the gap between basic job searches and steady employment.

Here are four practical ways volunteer freelancers can bring these new community spaces to life.

1. Sharing how modern work actually works

Traditional career advice can easily fall behind the rapid pace of today’s workplace. Freelancers work on the front lines of commerce every day. Whether you are an engineer, software developer, tradesperson, web developer, copywriter, illustrator, or project manager, you know exactly what software, tools, and technical skills businesses are looking for right now.

Volunteering to run an informal weekend chat or an evening Q&A session at a local hub gives young people a realistic, updated look at what different career paths actually involve.

2. Turning basic CVs into portfolios

A standard CV is a start, but a portfolio that proves capability is what actually lands work today. Freelancers are experts at pitching their skills and showcasing their work to clients.

By spending an afternoon at a Youth Hub, you can help young people move past simple word-processed templates. Teaching them how to build a basic personal website, structure a photography portfolio, or write a clean, professional LinkedIn profile provides them with real assets that stand out to local businesses.

3. Supporting the next generation of self-employed

Not every young person walking through the doors of a community hub wants a standard office job. Many have the drive to start a local trade, build a micro-agency, or explore creative work.

Because freelancers run their own small businesses, they understand the mechanics of self-employment—from handling basic tax and invoicing to finding clients and pricing work fairly. Acting as a mentor to an aspiring young entrepreneur can give them the confidence to build a sustainable livelihood from the ground up.

4. Running low-stakes practice interviews

Sitting across from an interviewer can be incredibly daunting for a young person who has never had a formal job. Freelancers, who regularly pitch for new contracts and chat with stakeholders, are perfectly placed to offer kind, constructive feedback.

Spending a couple of hours conducting informal practice interviews or reviewing application drafts can completely change a young person’s confidence before they head out to meet local employers.

How to get involved locally

With the network set to expand to over 360 areas across Great Britain over the next three years, these hubs are designed to be genuinely local. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is currently collaborating with local authorities to finalise the exact venues.

If you are a self-employed professional looking to share a bit of your time, keep an eye on your local community councils, libraries, and youth sports clubs. The government is opening doors and funding the spaces, but it takes the real-world knowledge of the local community to help young people find their footing.

Here is the list of locations which will host new Youth Hubs.

❓Would you consider volunteering?