The new hub follows the launch of the council’s first Community Hub at Park Library, where more than 150 residents have already received support.
The Central Library hub brings together council services and partner organisations in one location, giving residents access to advice, training and support without having to contact multiple departments.
Services available include employment and skills advice, Adult Community Learning, financial and wellbeing support, and a new Youth Hub for people aged 16 to 24 seeking careers guidance, apprenticeships, training or employment.
Residents can also continue to access existing library services, including self-service computers, Blue Badge and bus pass enquiries, along with information about local health and wellbeing services.
The council says the Community Hub model aims to make support easier to access by offering services in community locations that residents already use.
Councillor Matt Hinton, Cabinet Member for Community Engagement, Safety and Customer Services, said:
“We’re changing the way the Council delivers services. Our ambition is to bring more support into the heart of our communities, making it easier for residents to access the help they need in places they know and trust.
“The Community Hub at Central Library is an important part of that approach, bringing together a range of Council services and partner organisations in one accessible location. It means residents can find the right support more easily, without having to navigate different services or buildings.
“We’ve already seen encouraging results from our first Community Hub in Parks, where more than 150 residents have accessed support. The Central Library Hub allows us to build on that success, reaching more people and strengthening the Council’s presence in the communities we serve.”
He added:
“This is about delivering services in a more joined-up and practical way, using our existing community spaces to make the Council more visible, more accessible and better connected to residents. Alongside everything people value about their local library, this will provide a welcoming place where residents can access advice, support and services when they need them.”
The initiative builds on support already available at the Meadows Family Hub in Penhill, which helps children and families through Swindon’s Best Start for Life programme.
Councillor Vinay Manro, Cabinet Member for Adults and Health, said everyone needs support at some point and the aim was to make it easier for people to access help closer to where they live.
He said:
“By bringing services such as Live Well, adult social care, housing support, and other council teams together with our partners, we can provide joined up support earlier, help prevent issues from escalating and support more people to stay independent for longer.
“The Central Library Community Hub is another important step in localising council services. We are continuing to learn from each Community Hub we open, listening to residents, community organisations, and our partners so we can shape services around local needs and make them easier to access within the communities where people live.”
The council said feedback from residents, community organisations and partner agencies will help shape the future development of the hubs before they are introduced more widely across Swindon.
Visitors to Central Library can also use the recently opened Solid Ground Coffee café, which offers refreshments while providing young people with opportunities to develop customer service and employability skills.
The Central Library Community Hub is open Monday to Friday between 10am and 5pm. Most services are available on a drop-in basis, while some partner organisations run scheduled sessions during the week.
