About Hertfordshire County Council Services for Young People
The vision of Hertfordshire County Council Services for Young People (HCC SfYP) is to help young people overcome challenges in their lives and make a successful transition to adulthood.
The primary purpose of SfYP is 'enabling young people to succeed' through the delivery of targeted work to address emerging needs, improve life chances and reduce escalation to more intensive HCC services.
SfYP is an integrated young people’s service with staff who have a nationally recognised professional qualification in youth work or careers guidance and extensive experience in a relevant area such as informal education, employment or skills development.
What support do we offer?
11-5 Projects at SfYP young people's centres
Our 11-5 Projects are open to all young people aged 11-19, up to 25 for care leavers, separated migrant young people and those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), at our young people’s centres in Borehamwood, Letchworth, Stevenage, Welwyn Garden City, Watford, Hemel Hempstead and Cheshunt. Find full details of the support offered here: Information, advice and support at young people's centres. Young people can contact their local team to make an appointment before visiting or just drop in during the opening hours. No referral is needed.
Support for young people aged 16+ who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) from our Recruitment Hub
- Information, advice and support at seven of our young people's centres (no referral needed)
- Employment Pathways for young people needing more intensive support
- Pathways to Success 2024, Supported Employment and Supported Internships for young people with SEND aged 16-25
- All young people aged 16 to 19 can also register for an SfYP account to receive tailored information about job vacancies, apprenticeships, traineeships and further education from our Recruitment Hub.
Youth work projects
We deliver a range of youth work projects for young people aged 11-17, up to 25 for care leavers and those with SEND, in young people’s centres and other local community venues in all districts of Hertfordshire. We are committed to giving young people high quality opportunities to learn life skills and excel in their personal and social development. SfYP aims to address issues at the earliest opportunity to give young people the best chance to succeed, have a voice in their community, reach their potential and make a successful transition to adulthood. These include:
- Projects for young people with SEND aged 13-17, including those with social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs
- Projects for young adults with SEND aged 18-25, including those with SEMH needs
- Projects exclusively for young people in care and care leavers
- Youth councils for all young people
- Youth councils exclusively for young people with SEND
- Mental, emotional, and physical health and wellbeing projects
- Projects for young people at risk of crime, exclusion or exploitation
- Projects for elective home educated (EHE) young people
- Projects for LGBT+ young people who need additional support
- Projects for young Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) people who need additional support
- Single gender projects for groups needing additional support
- Detached (street-based) projects for young people who need additional support
All young people must have a referral submitted via the form below before attending a youth work project. Once a referral is received a Youth Worker will meet with the young person (and if helpful the referrer and or parent/carer) before they start to attend, to understand and agree how the project can meet the identified needs.
Support for children missing from education (CME)
We support young people aged 11 plus who are not currently successfully engaging in formal education through one-to-one support and groupwork with SfYP Youth Workers and Advisers. (Referrals from other teams in HCC Children's Services only.)
Services for schools and colleges
SfYP also offers a wide range of careers education, information, advice and guidance, work-related learning, and preventative youth work to schools and colleges. For full details see: Buy our services.
Youth Strategy Partnership Groups
We work in partnership with a range of organisations, including the community and voluntary sector and actively coordinates, develops and promotes this work through 10 district Youth Strategy Partnership Groups.
Pro-Action
SfYP financially supports and works in partnership with Hertfordshire Pro-Action, the county organisation supporting the voluntary youth sector, to provide training, policies, procedures and advice to registered organisations.
What happens when I make a referral?
When you make a referral, it will be sent to the relevant Services for Young People team and you will be contacted within a few days to discuss how best we can meet the young person's needs. If you do not hear form the team within a week from submitting the form please contact Head of SfYP.
With the young person's agreement, we will make their school or college aware we will be working with them.
To make a referral, please fill in the form below as fully as possible. All fields marked with an asterisk are mandatory. If you have any questions, please contact us on 0300 123 7538 or email [email protected].
Services for Young People referral form
If you do not see the acknowledgement page immediately after you click 'Submit', please scroll up and check that you have completed all mandatory fields (those marked with an asterisk). All fields that still need to be completed will be indicated in pink.
If you have any questions, please contact us on 0300 123 7538 or email [email protected]
To find out how we look after your personal data please read our Data Protection information.