Shropshire Council awarded £620,000 for youth services pilot

Shropshire Council has been awarded more than £620,000 to help transform how the council supports and works alongside young people – in the same week that the council’s youth support team won a regional award for its work.

In August, the council was selected as a pilot Pathfinder area for the Government’s Local Youth Transformation Fund (LYTF). Just 12 councils have been selected to take part in the pilot, meaning Shropshire is one of a small number of councils nationally leading the way in rebuilding more inclusive, youth-led service provision.

Through the pilot the government is investing £8 million to help ensure a local youth offer which addresses the needs of young people and supports government priorities – and it has now been announced that Shropshire Council will receive £621,131.

The pilot will be delivered in the coming months with all activity ending by 31 August 2026, and more details will be shared when a report is presented to the council’s people overview and scrutiny committee on 22 October.

Meanwhile, Shropshire Council’s youth support team has this week won an excellence award at the West Midlands children’s services team excellence awards. The award recognises the pivotal role the team plays in  shaping and delivering youth work across Shropshire.

Andy Haller , Carly Rogers, Holly Cooper and David Shaw with the council’s excellence award.

Alex Wagner, Shropshire Council’s deputy Leader and Cabinet member with responsibility for youth strategy, said:

“Being selected as one of just 12 pathfinder areas recognises the council’s renewed ambition and readiness to transform youth services. It is national recognition that we mean business and want to provide stronger youth services in communities across Shropshire, tackling the issues and creating real opportunities.

‘Through the Local Youth Transformation Pilot, we will work hand in hand with schools, town and parish councils and the voluntary and community sector to co-create a youth offer that is rooted in Shropshire’s communities, shaped by young people for young people.

“And I want to congratulate our your support team for their much deserved award, which is worthy recognition of the excellent work that they do to help improve the lives of Shropshire’s young people.”

As a Pathfinder, there will be an emphasis on working with partners in the voluntary and community sector, and with schools and town/parish councils. Young people will help shape services through new Youth Insight Panels and an Area Youth Assembly/Forum, and a new Strategic Youth Partnership will oversee delivery.