Youth Hub Mental Health Coach

This project continues the role of the Mental Health Coach within the Peterborough Youth Employment Hub, building on the foundations established during Year 1 of the Youth Guarantee. The purpose of the role is to work holistically with young people, helping them develop personalised Thrive at Work action plans that identify both their barriers to employment and the life improvements that meaningful work or training can bring. Through a person‑centred approach, the coach supports young people to gain confidence, improve self‑esteem and develop a sense of ownership over their journey into employment, education or training.

By Q4 of Year 1 of the Guarantee, a strong caseload and effective working relationships with Hub partners had already been established, and the service had begun evolving in response to increased footfall, partner presence and growing community awareness of the Hub. Continuing the Mental Health Coach role into Year 2 enables this momentum to build, ensuring young people can access consistent, relationship‑based support across initial and follow‑up sessions, alongside warm handovers to other specialist providers when needed.

Year 2 also expands the offer by strengthening links with local employers, business owners and employees, creating a bank of 'Champions' who can provide facilitated conversations that inspire young people and broaden their understanding of real‑world employment and training pathways. These conversations aim to boost confidence, raise aspirations and help young people see themselves as capable of achieving their goals. Continuing the Mental Health Coach role ensures these valuable developments can grow, adding significant value to the Youth Employment Hub's mission to reduce NEET levels in Peterborough.