Croydon Council has committed £4 million to bolster its voluntary sector in a significant investment aimed at enhancing youth support services across the borough. The funding, earmarked for 2026, will be directed towards early help, mental health initiatives, and youth engagement programmes.
The investment was detailed in a report presented to the Scrutiny Children & Young People Sub-Committee on Tuesday, March 10, 2026. The report, available in the Public reports pack, highlighted a strategic shift following a review of the Youth Engagement Team (YET) which concluded in 2024. The review identified a need for more targeted interventions and a clearer understanding of the service's impact on anti-social behaviour.
As a result of these findings, a key decision was made on June 2, 2025, to disband the YET and reconfigure its services. The YET officially ceased operations on September 8, 2025, with three staff members redeployed to the targeted Early Help service.
Despite the disbandment of the YET, the report assures that services have continued and evolved. The 'Million Hours' programme, a lottery-funded initiative previously managed by the YET, is ongoing at the Samuel Coleridge Taylor Family Hub, with approximately 30 young people attending weekly sessions focused on music and positive activities. The 'Starz & Sisterz' programme, which supports young girls, has also resumed at the same hub, with 6-10 attendees weekly.
Regarding the long-term sustainability of these programmes, plans are in development with an organisation to run a universal youth club that will continue following the end of the 'Million Hours' programme. However, specific long-term funding or operational sustainability plans beyond these immediate arrangements are not yet detailed.
Furthermore, the council is investing in youth voice and participation. A procurement process to strengthen representation and coordination of youth voice closed in December 2025, with a preferred bidder identified. This initiative aims to amplify youth voices across the borough and ensure greater inclusivity and representation. The contract will provide strategic leadership to amplify youth voice in the borough and work with the Croydon Youth Assembly to widen its membership, improving accessibility to be more representative of Croydon's schools and academies. The new provider will co-ordinate the collection, collation, and impact of the voice of children across schools, community, and care settings. The name of the preferred bidder has not yet been disclosed.
Junior youth hubs have also been established in Shrublands and New Addington, with Play Place receiving Public Health funding to operate these services. These hubs offer various programmes, including a Girls Empowerment Programme and structured dance sessions, co-designed with young people to address their needs and aspirations. Play Place was awarded two lots of two-year funding, amounting to £25,000 per annum, through the Public Health Grant to establish these junior youth hubs.
The council's commitment extends to supporting vulnerable youth through targeted interventions. The report details ongoing work with the community safety team to address issues such as serious youth violence and violence against women and girls, including the installation of knife bins and the delivery of healthy relationships programmes in schools.
This £4 million investment underscores Croydon Council's dedication to strengthening its support network for young people, leveraging the expertise of the voluntary and community sector to deliver essential services. The CYP Scrutiny Sub-Committee - Update on the Public Health Nursing Service provides further details on related services.
