The Leeds United Foundation welcomed young people from the Youth Hub to Elland Road for a special launch event.
Back in March, the Foundation launched its new hub in partnership with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
The DWP is the UK government department responsible for welfare, pensions and employment support, including the Jobcentre Plus network. The Youth Hub is delivered in partnership with the DWP, with dedicated DWP work coaches based at Elland Road alongside Foundation mentors. This means young people referred to the Hub can access both specialist employability support from the Foundation and direct support from their Jobcentre work coach, all in one place, rather than being passed between different services and locations.
What problems are the Foundation and the DWP trying to solve?
Too many young people who are not in employment, education or training (NEET) face barriers that prevent them from reaching the point of applying for a job or course. These include poor mental health, unstable housing, or a lack of confidence and self-belief. Traditional employment support can sometimes focus on job-readiness alone, without addressing what is holding a young person back in the first place.
The Youth Hub was established to change this, offering a person-centred approach that tackles these underlying barriers before building towards employment, education or training outcomes. Mental health and wellbeing support sits at the heart of this approach, ensuring young people feel genuinely supported as individuals, not just as job seekers.
What happened at the launch event?
The launch took place this Autumn, bringing together young people from the programme, partner organisations and a range of local businesses at Elland Road, including the event's main sponsor, HPC Laser. As part of the event, a group of young people who have received support through the Youth Hub took part in a live panel, answering questions from organisations and companies in attendance and giving guests a first-hand insight into the difference the Hub has made to them personally.
Who are the key organisations involved, and where does funding come from?
The Youth Hub is funded by the DWP. Alongside this, the Foundation works with a number of organisations across Leeds that support the Hub in a variety of ways, whether by offering work experience, apprenticeships and job opportunities to young people or visiting Elland Road to share insight into their industries.
A Full Programme of Support
At the heart of the Youth Hub is a comprehensive programme of workshops and one-to-one sessions, covering everything from CV building and interview preparation to wellbeing, budgeting and self-development. This ensures young people are supported as individuals, not just as job applicants.
The Elland Road Effect
Delivering this support at Elland Road Stadium has proven to be a significant part of what makes the Youth Hub special. For many young people, being welcomed into a professional, inspiring environment — somewhere they may previously have only visited on a matchday — has had a real impact on their confidence and self-belief. Feedback from young people on the programme has been overwhelmingly positive, with many describing lasting improvements in their confidence since joining.
How can you get involved?
The Foundation is always keen to hear from organisations that would like to support the Youth Hub, whether by offering work experience, apprenticeships or job opportunities to young people, or by visiting Elland Road to speak to them about their industries. To find out more about how individuals or organisations can get involved, contact Chloe Riley at chloe.riley@leedsunited.com.
