How more than 10,000 young people have helped to transform the future of Morley

A first-of-its-kind initiative for youth engagement has seen over 10,000 young people combine to help transform the future of Morley.

Growing Talent Morley has brought the public and the private sector together to deliver a programme of engagement for local young people, by involving them directly with the regeneration of their local area.

The activity has supported the personal development of its young participants, while allowing them to play a role in shaping the future of their area.

Delivered by social value specialist Ahead Partnership, in collaboration with Leeds City Council, the Morley Town Deal Board, and major regional property owners including Landsec and Sterling Capitol, the work has been funded as part of a broader £24.3m grant from the UK Government’s Local Regeneration Funding programme.

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.

“The positive outcomes for our young participants have been multifaceted, connecting them to sectors and employment opportunities that they have already begun to pursue, all while fostering their personal development.

“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.”

This milestone follows the recent handover of Morley Town Hall to specialist contractors, as part of plans to regenerate the town by strengthening its cultural offer and creating a vibrant community hub.

Reaching every school in the Morley area, the initiative has harnessed the collective drive of the community, and the public and private sector, to deliver the best possible outcomes for their town, and for local young people – having attracted over 300 volunteers from 95 businesses active across Morley, as well as significant investment from the private sector.

By facilitating the collaboration of the public and private sector, the programme empowers young participants from a diverse range of backgrounds to contribute to urban regeneration plans.

This engagement not only gives participants a voice in shaping their communities but also helps them understand the future roles they can play within the local workforce, particularly in relation to careers in the built environment.

For the Morley Town Deal Board, the programme has facilitated access to a significant pool of younger perspectives on the redevelopment of their local area - a demographic which is often harder to reach.

These key insights have helped to shape Morley’s ongoing development, including perspectives of the future users and workers in the town.

“This programme has harnessed the collective ambition of our community,” said Helen McGrath, Senior Project Manager at Leeds City Council. “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.

“With initial funding secured through the Morley Town Deal Board, the programme has prioritised access and inclusion for all young people throughout, a demographic that is harder to engage, but who will see the greatest impact from this type of engagement.

“The work has helped its 10,000 participants to find their place and their voice in securing a better future for their own communities, while helping them to discover the many meaningful career opportunities that are right on their doorstep.”

From workplace visits, mentoring and industry talks to consultation workshops and live design briefs, activity within the initiative has connected young people directly with employers to new career pathways.

For some, the experience has already translated into real opportunities and the development of a strong early talent pipeline, with students from The Morley Academy applying for and securing apprenticeships with engineering firm Sulzer after being introduced to the business through the programme.

Feedback from the scheme’s young participants shows the scale of its positive impact, with 91 per cent having improved their understanding of regional job opportunities and 86 per cent now thinking more about their post-school goals.