National project puts young people in control

With sponsorship from the Big Lottery Fund, Our Say Our Way is an ambitious new national project led by Peabody. Its aim is to help young people develop a voice and work together to take action and make positive changes – to their lives, in their communities and further afield. It sees Peabody collaborating with CBHA in London, the Chester and District Housing Trust and the Home Group in the North East.

Grassroots movement

The initiative fosters Youth Action Groups, collectives made up of young people between the ages of 12 and 21, who work together on local projects for the benefit of their peers and the wider community. The Youth Action Groups feed their ideas and opinions into a central steering group, made up of young representatives from across the country, helping to cultivate a wider national agenda.

It’s early days but already the project boasts a growing list of success stories. The Our Say Our Way website, an enterprise driven by members of the Youth Action Groups, launched last month. It’s become a vibrant hub for the project’s endeavours, with a blog that charts the progress of its participants and a gallery of recent events and team-building activities.

 
Team-building antics with the Our Say Our Way steering group

Other ventures run from setting up facilities to improving physical surroundings. Group members in Deptford have set themselves the task of founding a music studio, while others in Brixton are preparing to launch a magazine. Meanwhile a group in Chester recently set about project-managing the demolition of a local eyesore – a wall in the middle of their estate that had become a target for vandalism and inflammatory graffiti.

 
Scaling new heights: the project aims to emplower young people 

All about empowerment

“It’s about empowering young people,” explains Matt Calvert, Peabody’s Youth Participation Coordinator. “Our aim is to encourage a belief that they really can make a difference – whether that’s by setting up a music studio or bringing about changes on their estate. We want young people to have a voice and have influence, as well as getting involved in practical projects or things like volunteering or work placements.”

And participation is open to anybody – Matt is at pains to point out that Our Say Our Way is not just for Peabody residents or those from a particular region. “Our message to young people is just to get involved,” he says. “If there’s a group of young people out there who want to make a difference, we want to hear from you.”

Find out more about Our Say Our Way.

Visit the Our Say Our Way website.

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