A pioneering youth engagement programme linked to Morley’s regeneration has reached a major milestone, with almost 10,300 young people taking part since its launch in 2022.
Growing Talent Morley brings together public and private sector organisations to provide a tailored programme of activities for young people across the area. By involving participants directly in plans for Morley’s regeneration, the initiative is helping them develop valuable skills while giving them a meaningful voice in shaping the town’s future.
The programme is 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 initiative is funded through a wider £24.3 million grant awarded under the UK Government’s Local Regeneration Funding programme.
The milestone comes shortly after Morley Town Hall was handed over to specialist contractors as part of wider plans to regenerate the town, enhance its cultural offer and create a vibrant community hub. The initiative has reached every school in the area and brought together local communities, businesses and public-sector organisations to support young people and contribute to Morley’s future. More than 300 volunteers from 95 businesses operating across the town have taken part, alongside significant private-sector investment.
By encouraging collaboration between the public and private sectors, the programme enables young people from a wide range of backgrounds to contribute to local regeneration plans. It gives participants a voice in shaping their community while helping them explore the roles they could play in Morley’s future workforce, particularly through careers in construction, property and the wider built environment.
For the Morley Town Deal Board, the programme has provided valuable access to the views of younger residents — a group that can often be difficult to engage through traditional consultation. Their perspectives have helped inform Morley’s ongoing regeneration, ensuring plans reflect the needs and ambitions of those who may one day live, work and spend time in the town.
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.”
Helen McGrath, Senior Project Manager at Leeds City Council said:
“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.
“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.”
Steven Foster, Centre Director at White Rose and Trinity Landsec:
“At Landsec, we’re committed to creating opportunities that deliver lasting value for communities: Growing Talent Morley has embodied this by allowing over 10,000 young people from different backgrounds to have their say in the regeneration of their region, while helping them realise the variety of professions available to them in their local area, throughout this process.
“Beyond their development is our own: our volunteers have taken a great deal from this experience, having learned from the perspectives and ideas of those young people involved and growing as mentors and leaders.”
Participating businesses have also benefited by helping to develop a more inclusive and skilled future workforce. Young people gain a clearer understanding of the careers available locally and the knowledge and experience needed to pursue opportunities across a range of industries. Through workplace visits, mentoring, industry talks, consultation workshops and live design briefs, the initiative has connected young people directly with employers and introduced them to new career pathways.
For some participants, the programme has already led to tangible career opportunities while helping local employers build a strong pipeline of emerging talent. Students from the Morley Academy have applied for and secured apprenticeships with engineering firm Sulzer after first being introduced to the company through the initiative.
To find out more about Ahead Partnership, please visit www.aheadpartnership.org.uk
