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Greater Cambridge Shared Planning

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Youth Engagement Service

Youth Engagement Service

Jacob Milligan Photography

Greater Cambridge Shared Planning's Youth Engagement Service (YES) was established in 2017. It aims to ensure that children and young people, who are often under-represented groups in our society, have genuine input into a development proposal, including the design of buildings, play spaces, public realm and public art at the early stage of the planning process.

The Youth Engagement Team engages children in the subjects of planning, design and sustainability, and inspires them to consider pursuing careers in these fields. Youth engagement fits with National Planning Policy Framework policies 132 and 133, adopted South Cambridgeshire Local Plan policies SCI, HQ/1, HQ2, adopted Cambridge City Local Plan policies 55-57.

Benefits of youth engagement

  • Social impact - Children and young people are our future and they would benefit from hearing and seeing the scheme proposals in the local area where they would work, rest and play and develop a deeper sense of citizenship.
  • Social value - The children have a genuine input into the design of the building/ Local Equipped Area of Play / public art / public realm through partnership working – Officers and developers work together to ensure development proposals reflect children and young people’s design input.
  • The YES team produces a Youth Engagement Report for developers to guide their proposals in the design of buildings/ Local Equipped Area of Play / public art / public realm. This would be submitted as part of the planning application to support the Statement of Community Involvement, supporting the planning process.
  • Children and young people benefit from guidance about how to start a career in the built and natural environment. This can help encourage them to pursue a career in the planning department. This forms another dimension of social value and social impact.
  • Children and young people are given the opportunity to develop a clear understanding of the design and planning work by Council Officers that has gone behind development proposals. This can help them understand the value of good governance.
  • The provision of actual building / Local Equipped Area of Play / public art / public realm has been improved by taking into account the specific interests and needs of children and young people. Children and young people will feel proud to be able to have been part of the design and are more inclined to look after their local facilities.
  • A valuable opportunity for capacity building and confidence building for children and young people, thereby encouraging them to become responsible citizens of our society.
  • Enhance the education experience for children and young people on National curriculum subjects, e.g. geography, design and technology, citizenship, ICT, etc.
  • Supports developer’s Statement of Community Involvement / Design and Access Statement and therefore helps improve the planning outcome.
  • Supports partnership working between LPA, local communities and developers.

Youth Engagement event

Service package and costs

  • Advisory Service
  • Enabling Service
  • Direct Delivery

The costs of the Advisory Service and Enabling Service will be based on the complexity of the development proposals and the level of staffing required.

The Direct Delivery Service package costs £7,855 + VAT = £9,427

Please note that the above payment is required before the YES Team starts any work.

For further information, please contact the Youth Engagement Service Team Lead: Bonnie.Kwok@greatercambridgeplanning.org

Sausage Dog Bench

Jacob Milligan Photography

Additional services

  • Career advice outreach service
  • Youth Engagement training and development
  • Work Experience Programme
  • Apprenticeships

Children in classroom

Youth Engagement Framework

Case studies

  • Melbourn Science Park – Street Furniture and public art
  • The Welding Alloy site in Fowlmere - Street Furniture, architecture, biodiversity project and public art
  • Vitrum site in St. Johns Innovation Park – Street Furniture, policy input into the masterplanning process
  • Bourn Careers Fair
  • Training and development
  • Talks

Credit: So-Motive

Accolades

  • Winner of the Thornton Education Trust Best Local Authority in Youth Engagement Award 2023
  • Winner of the Thornton Education Trust Youth Engagement Practitioner Award 2023
  • Winner of the Thornton Education Trust Youth Engagement Practitioner Award 2022
  • Finalist of the Thornton Education Trust Community Engagement Award 2023
  • Finalist of the Thornton Education Trust Social Value Award 2023
  • Finalist of the Thornton Education Trust Long-term programme for Children Award 2023
  • Finalist of the Thornton Education Trust Mentoring Award 2023
  • Finalist of the Thornton Education Trust School Collaborations Award 2022
  • Finalist of the Thornton Education Trust Social Value Award 2022

TET Awards Ceremony

Press articles

Enquiries

Useful information