This year we were one of several Innovator Organisations across Staffordshire carrying out participatory action research with young people as part of the Know Your Place Project. We were able to take our questions to both our youth clubs, a local sixth form and a church youth group – giving opportunity for them to respond creatively.
Having collated the research, the main word that captured what young people were asking for was ‘more.’
The clear priorities for areas of change within their community were more:
- opportunities and youth-friendly spaces.
- chances to build positive relationships.
- focus on safety, wellbeing and mental health.
- opportunities to be heard and influence the decisions that affect their lives.
So, what happens now?
The next part of the project will be called ‘Change Your Place,’ where we give young people the opportunity to co-design and deliver activities and projects in response to these findings. We’ll then have chance to report back with all the other groups from across the county at The Know Your Place Festival at The University of Staffordshire in September.
We hope that this will inspire young people to see that they can truly make a difference and bring about positive change in their local area.
June 2026