8 August 2025
UK Youth has launched the Joined Up Institute, a fully funded year‑long professional development pilot designed to strengthen collaboration across youth‑facing services. The pilot programme will take place in Leicester and has been co-designed by local young people and sector stakeholders.
Beginning in October 2025, the programme will convene 300 emerging leaders from diverse sectors – including education, youth work, health, social care, youth justice, sport, housing, and more – to learn, network, and lead systemic change for the city’s young people.
The programme connects emerging leaders through in-person workshops and online sessions designed to build leadership skills, expand local networks, and provide a forum to explore what works to improve outcomes for young people. It will bring together individuals from across the services that support young people to connect and develop the changemakers of tomorrow.
Cllr Elaine Pantling, Leicester’s assistant city mayor for children and young people, said: “We are very pleased to support the Joined Up Institute and UK Youth. I’m proud of our skilled and committed youth workforce in Leicester, and by strengthening links between professionals we’ll be able to provide the best possible services to local young people.”
Investing in the learning and development of local cross-sector leaders:
Grace Strong, Director of the Violence Reduction Network for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland said: “UK Youth’s Joined Up Institute is such a welcome and exciting opportunity and we are thrilled that the pilot programme is taking place in Leicester. Investing in the learning and development of cross-sector leaders who are passionate about supporting young people is a vital enabler to driving high-quality services. The engagement and energy of local leaders in our city highlights how this innovative initiative is set to make a difference to both them and our young people.”
Vicky Browning OBE, CEO at UK Youth, said: “Professionals who support young people know we need to work together if we are going to solve the increasingly complex challenges that young people face. There are already excellent examples of collaboration in action, such as the LLR Violence Reduction Network, Integrated Care Boards and Young Futures Hubs. Despite this, there are still barriers which prevent professionals collaborating, including over-stretched systems and increasing needs, insufficient investment in continuing professional development, and limited opportunities for professionals to learn from one another about what’s working across sectors. That’s why we are really proud to launch the Joined Up Institute and pilot a different approach to addressing these challenges.”
Registration is now open. To qualify, applicants need to be at least 18 years old, work or volunteer in a youth-facing sector in Leicester, Leicestershire or Rutland, and be able to commit to three in-person workshops in central Leicester, held during working hours.