Proposals have been published for NextGen Greenwich, a new youth and health and wellbeing service intended to support school aged children, young people and their families across the borough. The plans set out a revised approach that has been shaped with young people themselves and reflects what they have said they want from local provision. The aim of NextGen Greenwich youth and wellbeing services is to create a more accessible and more responsive offer that reflects current needs.
At the centre of the proposals is a move towards greater inclusion and flexibility. The council is proposing to increase access to free and low cost activities, establish a new council owned Community Youth Hub, and align youth provision more closely with health and wellbeing support delivered in schools. This integrated approach is intended to ensure that NextGen Greenwich youth and wellbeing services reach young people consistently, without gaps in support.
The proposals are subject to approval. If agreed, they would replace Young Greenwich, the current youth offer, with a new model designed to respond to changing aspirations, strengthen partnerships and improve outcomes for children and young people across the borough.
Councillor Adel Khaireh, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said “We’ve heard loud and clear from young people that they need safe spaces to learn and grow and to be involved in decisions that affect them. We know how important it is for children and young people to have safe places to go. That is why, while many councils are cutting youth services, we’re investing in our provision by opening a new council-owned Community Youth Hub and developing a new Youth Grants Programme so we can more easily respond to what young people want. NextGen Greenwich will offer transformative opportunities for young people to socialise, explore their creativity, and develop their confidence. It’s about giving them the support each child and young person deserves and needs to thrive.”
Health and wellbeing form a core part of the proposed model. Councillor Mariam Lolavar, Cabinet Member for Health, Adult Social Care and Borough of Sanctuary, highlighted the need for services that respond to current pressures on young people. She said: “The challenges facing young people today are urgent and demand that we rethink how we deliver our services. We want young people to feel confident and feel a part of their own health – so it’s crucial to us that these services are developed with young people and their families. Subject to approval, our co-produced new model is designed to create a lasting impact for young people’s health and wellbeing, supporting them to live their best lives. From programmes that help families eat well and stay active together, to physical, mental and sexual health support in schools, we’re addressing the whole wellbeing of young people.”
NextGen Greenwich youth and wellbeing services sit within a broader programme of investment in provision for children and young people in the Royal Borough of Greenwich. Subject to approval, funding is being directed towards improving play facilities and outdoor spaces, alongside the development of a new Community Youth Hub. Plans also include a new multi use games area in Woolwich and upgraded outdoor facilities in Glyndon.
Further investment is planned through the council’s Getting Things Done programme. This includes £1.5million to develop a new Community Hub at Coldharbour, which could include youth services and would be designed with input from the local community, subject to stakeholder and community engagement.
Young Greenwich, the current youth offer, has been operating since 2020 and is delivered through a partnership between the council, Oxleas NHS, CACT, GLL and METRO. It supports children aged 5 to 18, or up to 25 for those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, and provides services such as school nursing, universal youth provision, weight management, sexual health support and mentoring.
Between March and October 2025, the council carried out a three phase engagement and consultation process with young people, families, residents, schools, voluntary organisations and professionals. Drawing on this feedback, the proposals include renaming the service to NextGen Greenwich, developing four council owned Community Youth Hubs with a stronger focus on families and intergenerational learning, and opening a permanent Community Youth Hub in the west of the borough linked to Adventure Play Centres.
The proposals also set out plans for Community Youth Hubs to open at least five days a week, including Saturdays, with the ambition of operating seven days a week from 9am to 9pm. A new £400,000 NextGen communities grant fund is proposed to support providers delivering services in areas with less existing provision. Young voices would be embedded through new Youth Advisor roles, a paid Youth Voice Apprentice position, voluntary design and review roles, a Youth Partnership Group, expanded peer to peer activity, and a co produced digital offer. The School Nursing Offer would also be reshaped and renamed as a School aged Health and Wellbeing Service, with a stronger focus on prevention.
If approved, a procurement process will be launched to appoint providers for NextGen Greenwich youth and wellbeing services, with the new model scheduled to begin on 1 October 2026.
