Expanded DWP Youth Hub Offer at Lisson Grove
Wednesday 25 March marked a fresh chapter for the DWP Youth Hub based at Westminster Adult Education Service’s Lisson Grove centre, as partner organisations from across the city came together to celebrate an expanded offer of support for young people and residents.
The hub at Lisson Grove, first launched in 2021 as part of the Department for Work & Pensions’ nationwide scheme of Youth Hubs to support young adults aged 18–24 into employment, training and further opportunities, is now widening its reach. The refreshed offer includes support for residents aged 18–30 through several partner organisations, alongside WAES’s own adult learning and progression services for learners aged 19+.
WAES continues to play a central role by hosting the Hub on the ground floor of our Lisson Grove centre, where visitors simply check in at the main reception before being welcomed into a dedicated space for one‑to‑one support. The Youth Hub is open every Wednesday from 10am to 1pm, offering a consistent weekly opportunity for residents to connect with a range of expert organisations.
The relaunch event brought together representatives from Cultiv8, Making The Leap, Connect to Work London (Seetec), Core Skills and Training, Westminster City Council’s Homelessness Community Prevention Team, WAES staff, and the local Jobcentre Plus team. It was the first time all the new partners had met in person, providing an opportunity to learn about each other’s services and shape how the expanded offer will operate.
The strengthened partnership means that visitors can begin their journey with WAES and be connected directly to the most appropriate service. Each organisation contributes its own specialist support, ensuring residents who attend the Wednesday session can receive tailored guidance:
- Connect to Work London (Seetec) – helping participants overcome barriers to work
- Core Skills and Training – delivering skills training and ESOL
- Cultiv8 – offering mentoring and employability support
- Jobcentre Plus – offering work‑focused guidance and access to DWP services
- Making The Leap – supporting young adults with career development
- Westminster City Council’s Homelessness Community Prevention Team – providing homelessness prevention and early‑intervention advice
WAES’s offer is also available Monday to Friday, offering advice on adult learning, skills development and progression routes.
Alison Muggridge, Assistant Principal Curriculum & Quality, who represented WAES at the session, said:
“It was fantastic to welcome all our partners to Lisson Grove and to see such a strong commitment to supporting Westminster residents. By bringing so many specialist services together under one roof, we are creating a truly collaborative space where people can access the right help at the right time. Whether someone needs support finding work, developing new skills or accessing wider wellbeing and housing advice, the expanded Youth Hub means they can begin that journey with us here at WAES.”
