Giving young people a voice in their neighbourhood

To start addressing this, we are working with the Young Westminster Foundation to ask young people aged 13-21 what they want from their neighbourhoods.

The Young Westminster Foundation seeks to ensure that all young people in Westminster grow up healthy, safe and happy with the best opportunities for bright futures. Their 85 members range from large youth clubs to smaller grass roots organisations who share the same values of improving work, study and play for young people in the borough.

Focussed initially in Mayfair and Belgravia, the survey seeks to understand young people’s perceptions of the area, which memories they have of certain places and how they feel it could be improved. Through this enriched understanding of the area, we hope to make Mayfair and Belgravia more welcoming and engaging for young people.

Young Belgravia https://youngbelgravia.commonplace.is/ Young Mayfair https://youngmayfair.commonplace.is/

The survey follows our commitment to rebuilding trust between communities, property companies and councils in both the planning, development and management of spaces.

Amelia Bright, Executive Director, London Estate, Grosvenor Britain & Ireland, commented:

“Opaque, dominated by older generations and often offline, the planning process and ways that homes, schools, parks and places that connect us all are managed and adapted offer no appeal to young people.

Only by pulling in in a more diverse range of voices and appreciating all residents as experts on their neighbourhood can we build and manage safer, more sustainable and successful places. This survey is a first step in understanding the ambitions of younger people in our communities and engaging with them long term on the future shape of where they live.”