10,000 young people get a say in their town’s future

Over 10,300 young people have helped shape plans for the regeneration of Morley through a project linking schools with local businesses. 

Growing Talent Morley, run by Ahead Partnership with Leeds City Council, the Morley Town Deal Board and property companies Landsec and Sterling Capitol, has invited pupils to share their views on how to develop the town.

Organisers said more than 300 volunteers from 95 businesses had taken part in the scheme.

As well as giving young people a say, the project has introduced them to careers in construction, engineering and other parts of the built environment. Some students have already gone on to secure apprenticeships.

Ahead Partnership said 91% of young people who took part said they had a better understanding of local job opportunities, while 86% said they had thought more about what they wanted to do after leaving school.

It also said 94% reported improved teamwork skills, 93% felt better able to represent themselves and 78% said their communication skills, confidence and self-belief had improved.

Megan Lipp, commercial director at Ahead Partnership, said: ‘The success of Growing Talent Morley sets a powerful example of how collaborative partnerships can drive inclusive, sustainable local change, and open meaningful opportunities and pathways for an incredible number of young people.

‘By putting young people at the heart of regeneration, we have created a successful engagement model that can be replicated in other regions, and on further projects, and we look forward to continuing to collaborate with the public and private sector to deliver further impact of this kind.’

The project has been funded through the UK Government’s Local Regeneration Funding programme, which awarded £24.3m to support work in Morley.

Helen McGrath, senior project manager at Leeds City Council, added: ‘This programme has harnessed the collective ambition of our community – bringing together business leaders, educators, volunteers and the private and public sector with thousands of young people in a shared vision to better our region and to centralise young people within that journey.’

Image of Growing Talent Morley

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