What Services for Young People does

Services for Young People (SfYP) is a public-sector youth services department operated by Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) under the council's Children's Services directorate, delivering statutory services across the county of Hertfordshire in England. The organisation provides free, confidential information, advice, and support to young people aged 11-25 on careers, education, employment, health, relationships, personal safety, housing, and emotional wellbeing. Its service portfolio spans seven physical 11-5 Hubs (in Borehamwood, Cheshunt, Hemel Hempstead, Letchworth, Stevenage, Watford, and Welwyn Garden City), the Employment Pathways programme for NEET young people (16-25), the SEND Team providing specialist CEIAG and supported employment/internships, the Go Wild at Hudnall outdoor education programme, Youth Work Projects across all 10 Hertfordshire districts, Duke of Edinburgh's Award projects, and sexual health services. Ten Youth Strategy Partnership Groups coordinate service delivery with schools, colleges, voluntary sector organisations, and local stakeholders in each district.

SfYP operates under statutory mandates defined by Section 68 of the Education and Skills Act 2008 and Section 507B of the Education Act 1996. Core funding flows from HCC's Children's Services budget, supplemented by time-limited grants including the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (Employment Pathways through March 2027) and the National Lottery Heritage Fund (Go Wild at Hudnall 2020-2023). The organisation also generates modest traded income by selling careers guidance and work-related learning services to schools and colleges, and collects fees for some Go Wild outdoor sessions (Forest School £150-£200 per session, Wilderness Days £300, School Holiday Forest School Fridays £10 per child). Digital infrastructure is limited to a case management and referral system plus online referral and feedback forms, with WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility compliance.

SfYP has no independent corporate existence: it is wholly owned and operated by Hertfordshire County Council as a government entity with no external shareholders, no funding rounds, and no M&A history. Its operational scope is geographically bounded to Hertfordshire, and its competitive position derives from its statutory mandate rather than market positioning. Strategic direction is set by HCC policy priorities and central government funding decisions rather than commercial market dynamics.

Name

Services for Young People

Legal name

Hertfordshire County Council Services for Young People

Website

https://servicesforyoungpeople.org

Company type

Public

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Services for Young People is a Hertfordshire County Council department delivering free youth services, careers guidance, SEND support, employment pathways, and outdoor education to young people aged 11-25 across Hertfordshire under statutory mandate.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Educational Support Services (611710), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth & Young Adult Workforce Programs (Out-of-School Youth) (EDAAAOAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth-to-Adult Transition & Life Skills (Independent Living, Soft Skills) (EDAAAFAN), Family Resource Centers & Wraparound Support Services (EDACALAH)

Keywords

• Youth services
• Careers guidance
• Supported employment
• SEND transition support
• Outdoor education

Headquarters

HQ city

Hertford

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Local Government Funding: Core funding from Hertfordshire County Council Children's Services to deliver statutory youth services and careers guidance under Section 68 of the Education and Skills Act 2008 and Section 507B of the Education Act 1996.
2. Traded Services for Schools and Colleges: SfYP offers careers education, information, advice and guidance, work-related learning, and preventative youth work to schools and colleges as paid services.
3. UK Government Grant Funding: Employment Pathways programme funded by UK Government through UK Shared Prosperity Fund until March 2027.
4. National Lottery Heritage Fund: Go Wild at Hudnall project was funded by National Lottery Heritage Fund from 2020-2023, delivered in partnership with Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Services for Young People is the integrated young people's service of Hertfordshire County Council, delivering free, confidential information, advice, careers guidance, youth work and SEND support to 11-25 year-olds across Hertfordshire. Its core offer includes drop-in 11-5 Hubs at seven Young People's Centres, a Recruitment and Careers Hub with Employment Pathways, the SfYP SEND Team (Supported Employment, Supported Internships, EHCP reviews), Go Wild at Hudnall Forest School, Youth Work Projects across all 10 districts, Duke of Edinburgh's Award projects, and sexual health services, with paid "traded services" sold to schools and colleges to meet Gatsby Benchmarks.

Product overview

Services for Young People (SfYP) is an integrated youth services organisation operated by Hertfordshire County Council, offering a portfolio of programmes and digital services for young people aged 11-25. The core offerings include: 11-5 Hubs at seven young people's centres providing information, advice and support; a Recruitment and Careers Hub with Employment Pathways, Supported Employment, and Supported Internships programmes for 16-25 year olds not in education/employment/training; the SfYP SEND Team providing specialist CEIAG for young people with special educational needs and disabilities; Go Wild at Hudnall forest school and outdoor activities; Youth Work Projects including groupwork and one-to-one support across all Hertfordshire districts; Duke of Edinburgh's Award projects; and Sexual Health Services. Digital services include online referral forms, member login areas, feedback systems, and seven young people's centres across Borehamwood, Cheshunt, Hemel Hempstead, Letchworth, Stevenage, Watford, and Welwyn Garden City. The organisation also coordinates 10 district Youth Strategy Partnership Groups and offers traded services for schools and colleges including careers guidance and work-related learning.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Go Wild at Hudnall: Forest School and nature-based activities programme at Hudnall Park for children and young people aged 5-24 focusing on emotional wellbeing and connection to nature.

Products and services

• 11-5 Hubs Free, confidential information, advice and support for Hertfordshire young people aged 11-18 (up to 25 for care leavers and SEND), delivered as drop-in and appointment-based services at seven Young People's Centres. Covers careers, education, health, relationships, personal safety, benefits, housing and emotional wellbeing.
• Employment Pathways Programme Pathway programme for NEET young people aged 16-25 in five Hertfordshire districts, providing careers guidance, CV writing, job searching, interview preparation, 12-hour and 70-hour work experience placements, and referral to maths and English courses.
• Supported Employment Specialist adviser-led support helping young people aged 16-25 with learning difficulties and disabilities find and sustain paid work, including workplace accommodations and ongoing adviser support.
• Supported Internships Internship programme for young people aged 16-25 with additional needs who want to move into employment but require support, complemented by free awareness sessions for employers.
• SfYP SEND Team Specialist CEIAG service for Hertfordshire young people aged 13-25 with SEND, including EHCP reviews and Preparing for Adulthood transition planning, delivered as the umbrella for Supported Employment and Supported Internships.
• Go Wild at Hudnall Forest School and outdoor activity programme at Hudnall Park for children and young people aged 5-24, including Wild Wellbeing, Wild About, Wilderness Days, Forest School sessions and youth volunteer conservation projects.
• Youth Work Projects Targeted groupwork and one-to-one projects for Hertfordshire young people aged 11-17 (up to 25 for care leavers and SEND), including SEND groups, mental health and wellbeing projects, youth councils, LGBT+ support, BAME support, detached street-based projects and YouthZone Saturday Projects.
• Duke of Edinburgh's Award (DofE) Projects Inclusive DofE Award projects for Hertfordshire young people aged 14-24 with SEND, those missing from education, home-educated young people, and those supported by social workers, including Bronze, Silver and Gold expeditions and Gold residentials at Hudnall Park.
• Sexual Health Services Free sexual health services at SfYP Young People's Centres, including free condoms, free chlamydia and gonorrhoea testing, and free pregnancy testing.
• Traded Services for Schools and Colleges Paid bundle of careers education, information, advice and guidance, work-related learning, work experience, personal careers guidance interviews and DofE support purchased by Hertfordshire schools and colleges to meet the Gatsby Benchmarks.
• Youth Strategy Partnership Groups District-level forums for local service providers and stakeholders to collaborate strategically and operationally on youth services across all 10 Hertfordshire districts.

Quantifiable outcome

• 410 Go Wild at Hudnall sessions delivered to 1,023 young people and 370 adults from April 2021 to December 2023
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Herts and Middlesex Wildlife TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Go Wild at Hudnall was delivered in partnership with Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust from 2020-2023, funded by National Lottery Heritage Fund. The trust led on delivery of conservation works to improve habitats at Hudnall Park.
• Watford FCminorOthersWatford Football Club is a member of the Watford Youth Strategy Partnership Group, delivering sporting opportunities and mentoring support for young people in the community.
• The Prince's TrustminorOthersPrince's Trust is a member of Watford Youth Strategy Partnership Group, providing courses and support for young people aged 11-30 including Explore Enterprise, Game Design, and Nail Art, plus cash awards for education and employment.
• One YMCAminorOthersOne YMCA delivers youth work sessions, programmes and services across Watford, Three Rivers, Welwyn Garden City, Hatfield and other Hertfordshire areas, helping young people access support and advice.
• Herts Mind NetworkminorOthersMental health support provider with dedicated services for 15-18 year olds, member of Watford and Three Rivers Youth Strategy Partnership Groups.
• Herts Young HomelessminorOthersIndependent charity supporting vulnerable 16-24 year olds who are homeless or threatened with homelessness, plus health services with no upper age limit. Member of Stevenage Youth Strategy Partnership Group.
• Hertfordshire Pro-ActioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSfYP 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.
• Hertfordshire County CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSfYP is part of Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) Children's Services. HCC provides core funding and statutory framework for services under Education and Skills Act 2008.
• Hertfordshire LibrariesminorOthersMember of Youth Strategy Partnership Groups, providing safe community spaces with resources, volunteering opportunities, and free services across 46 public libraries.
• Stevenage FC FoundationminorOthersOfficial independent charity of Stevenage Football Club delivering sporting and educational activities across Stevenage, member of Stevenage Youth Strategy Partnership Group.
• Phoenix Group for Deaf Children and Young AdultsminorOthersEmpowering young people up to age 25 with hearing impairment, providing groups including Active Wednesdays, Sip and Sign, and After School Club. Member of Watford and Stevenage Youth Strategy Partnership Groups.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• IntoUniversity: Education charity supporting young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to progress into higher education and employment — comparable in youth-focused education support and outreach model.
• Career Connect: Delivers careers education, information, advice and guidance to schools, colleges and young people — directly comparable to SfYP's traded careers services and Gatsby Benchmarks offering.
• The Prince's Trust: Already a Youth Strategy Partnership Group member of SfYP; provides youth employment, training, and education support for 11-30 year olds — directly comparable in target audience and youth employment outcomes.
• OnSide Youth Zones: Operates a network of youth centres offering free activities, advice and support to young people aged 8-19 (up to 25 with additional needs) — closely comparable to SfYP's 11-5 Hubs and community-based delivery model.
• CXK: Provides careers guidance, NEET prevention, and employability support to young people across the South East — directly comparable in target population and service mix.
• Catch22: UK social business delivering youth employment, education, and family support services — directly comparable to SfYP's Employment Pathways and Youth Work Projects in mission and target population.
• Prospects (Shaw Trust): Major UK provider of careers guidance, NEET support, and youth employability services to schools and local authorities — directly comparable to SfYP's Recruitment and Careers Hub and Employment Pathways.

Broad incumbents

• National Youth Agency: Sector body for youth work in England, setting professional standards and policy for the sector — broadly comparable in mission and constituency, though operates as an umbrella/standards body rather than a direct service provider.

Others

• National Autistic Society: UK charity providing services and support for autistic people and their families, including transition-to-adulthood programmes. Relevant peer to SfYP's SEND Team and Supported Employment/Internships offers.
• Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust: Partnered with SfYP on the Go Wild at Hudnall project (2020-2023), delivering conservation and nature engagement. Closest comparable to the Hudnall Park outdoor education offer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/HCCSfYP
• YouTubeyoutube.com/servicesforyoungpeople/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/HCCSfYP
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/youth-connexions-hertfordshire
• Instagraminstagram.com/HCCSFYP

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Services for Young People