We’ve put forward a range of proposals for NextGen Greenwich, a new youth and health and wellbeing service that will support children, young people and their families. The new service has been designed with young people, who have told us what they want. As part of the shift to NextGen Greenwich, we're proposing to make our offer more accessible and more tailored to what young people have said they would like to see. This means that, alongside offering more free and low cost activities and a new council-owned Community Youth Hub, NextGen Greenwich ties in work to support young people’s health and wellbeing in schools, so no young person is left behind.
The proposals are subject to approval. If approved, the new model re-imagines Young Greenwich, our current youth offer, to deliver services that match the current needs and aspirations of children and young people, build stronger partnerships and improve outcomes.
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.”
Councillor Mariam Lolavar, Cabinet Member for Health, Adult Social Care and Borough of Sanctuary 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 forms part of the Royal Borough of Greenwich’s wider commitment to young people and investment in the local youth offer. Subject to approval, the Council is investing to bring our play facilities up to the standard our children and young people deserve. Alongside our brand-new Community Youth Hub, this includes a brand-new multi-use games area for Woolwich and upgraded outdoor facilities in Glyndon.
Our current youth offer, Young Greenwich, is a partnership between the council, Oxleas NHS, CACT, GLL and METRO, and supports children aged 5 to 18, or 25 for those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. The service, which has been running since 2020, includes a wide range of support such as school nursing, universal youth provision, weight management services, sexual health services and mentoring.
Between March and October 2025, the Council undertook a three-phase engagement and consultation process with young people, residents, families, schools, voluntary organisations and professionals working with our communities. Using these insights, the council has developed new proposals including:
- Renaming our youth offer and school-aged health and wellbeing service to NextGen Greenwich.
- Developing four council-owned Community Youth Hubs so they place greater emphasis on working with the whole family and offering intergenerational learning and youth-only sessions.
- Opening a new permanent Community Youth Hub in the west of the borough, linking in with Adventure Play Centres
- Opening Community Youth Hubs a minimum 5 days a week (including Saturday) with the ambition to be open 7 days a week, from 9am-9pm.
- Setting up a new £400,000 NextGen communities grant fund for providers to deliver support for children and young people, focused on areas with less existing provision.
- Putting young voices at the heart of services by:
- Introducing two new Youth Advisors and a paid Youth Voice Apprentice role at the council.
- Creating voluntary roles for young people to help design and review services.
- Creating a new Youth Partnership Group that will include paid and voluntary roles for young people to help decide and evaluate what is delivered.
- Expanding peer-to-peer and youth-led activities.
- Co-producing a modernised digital offer with young people, where they can get support, information and advice.
- Reshaping and renaming our School Nursing Offer to a broader School-aged Health and Wellbeing (SHAW) Service, with a new service model focused on prevention.
If approved, the Council will be undertaking a procurement process to identify providers to deliver NextGen Greenwich’s services, with the new model set to launch on 1 October 2026.