Participating in the Placemaking with Young Adults first project provided me with an opportunity to engage in meaningful conversations about how our community spaces should evolve and whether they currently meet our needs. For me, this was one of the first experiences I have had where I have felt my voice and opinion mattered in policy and engagement spaces, despite the fact that, as a young adult, I will be living with the long-term consequences of today’s decisions.
Young people navigate places daily, experience frustrations with systems which aren’t catering to our needs, and have ideas on how things can be better, but processes aren’t creating spaces for us to contribute in real and meaningful ways. But this project felt different.
What did we talk about?
In the first Placemaking with Young Adults project, there were many discussions affordability, housing, and the climate crisis – these are all issues which directly affect everyday experiences and will deeply impact our futures, too.
- Affordability and Community Spaces: High rent, poor-quality housing, and a lack of accessible places to meet and socialise leaves young people priced out of communities they are wanting to be a part of.
- Climate Change and Urgency: There was a shared frustration that climate change isn’t being taken seriously enough in policy spaces. While we recognise the severity of the crisis, we felt decision-makers were not acting with the urgency that a crisis
- Energy and Willingness to Act: The atmosphere in the workshops was one of eagerness. Participants weren’t just asking for a better future; they were ready to help build it. There was a clear interest in learning about climate and policy literacy and pushing for tangible changes!
Young People’s Perspectives matter
The consequences of past decisions mean that young people experience urban spaces differently from previous generations. Many of us rely on public or active transport, live in shared or rented housing, and experience affordability barriers every day. We have a significant stake in the future, but when we are included, it can sometimes feel tokenistic, that is, being consulted on without the power to actually shape outcomes.
Given the opportunity, we crafted visions for our communities which centred themes on active travel, affordability, renewable energy, community gardening, integrating work, social and family info neighbourhoods, and building socially cohesive communities.
The project affirmed what we already knew – young people are not apathetic about the places that we live; we are unheard. We care deeply about our communities, and have ideas on how to make them better, fairer, and more sustainable, and what is needed is the commitment to listen and act on our inputs.
If you are a young person reading this, I encourage you to join our next round of workshops. Your voice matters – with these projects actively pushing to learn from your expertise and experience!
Mark Your Calendars!
- Carnforth Hub: Walkshop, Wednesday, May 7, 2025, 5:00 PM – 8:30 PM
- Lancaster Innovation Centre: Walkshop, Saturday, May 17, 2025, 10:30 AM – 2:00 PM
- Lancaster and Morecambe College: Walkshop, Wednesday, June 4, 2025, 4:00 PM – 7:30 PM
- The Story, Lancaster City Centre: Future Vision Workshop, Saturday, June 28th, 10:30 AM – 3:00 PM
Register here for the upcoming Carnforth Walkshop!
Visit our website for more details
Want to know more about the Local Plan process?
Check out our interactive storyboard: https://arcg.is/Pzv0n
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Author: Megan Pickles, former participant testimonial
Mirian Calvo