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In late 2024 and early 2025, we commissioned a series of youth-led projects across Greater Manchester’s 10 local authorities. Working with partners in local authority youth services and colleagues in the charity sector, these ten projects focused on #BeeWell data and used the voice of young people to create responses and drive action.
All ten of these projects were amazing, and you can read more about all of them in a blog article we wrote earlier this year.
In conversations with these groups once the original project was wrapping up, three of them told us that they were going to be looking for funding to do some additional work over the coming months.
Knowing that these projects were responding to #BeeWell data, and that they were using that data to improve the wellbeing of young people, we were keen to support them all with their plans. And after some conversations with our partners at Children In Need, we were able to utilise some of our funding from them to do this. In today’s blog, we are going to tell you a bit more about the work that has happened due to the generous support of Children In Need.
Oldham Youth Council – The #VoiceBox Tour
Oldham’s original project from last year was inspired by data which said that less than 50% of young people in Oldham felt free to express their ideas and opinions.
Given that the young people involved in the project were part of the Youth Council, they all felt that there was a place for their voice to be heard – but they were upset to read that so many of their peers didn’t feel the same. As one member put it, ‘as the youth voice family in Oldham, we need to change this for young people.’
Last year’s project focused on some peer research around how much young people in schools knew about youth voice opportunities in Oldham and a campaign to highlight where and how young people can express their voices.
Using the further funding from Children in Need, the team from Oldham has been able to respond to some of the findings from this original project. They are now embarking on the #VoiceBox Tour, taking information about youth voice opportunities to schools and colleges across the Local Authority. So far, they have visited 12 of the 21 establishments signed up, but conversations are ongoing with others.
This is a fantastic piece of work in which young people are spreading the word about how other young people can use their voice, all with the hope of improving that data about how many young people feel free to express their views and opinions.
47 young people from 3 youth voice groups have been involved in the planning and delivery of this project, and they have spoken to around 150 other young people so far. Here are some quotes from those involved:
‘Young people should have a say in everything that happens in their lives. With our project, we need to help change this for them.’
‘I get my voice heard across the UK. It is not fair that others in Oldham don’t feel they have a say locally.’
‘I knew nothing about the Youth Council before. Hopefully I get elected because it sounds good.’
Gorse Hill (Trafford) – Artivists
Artivists was an already ongoing youth group when we worked with them on last year’s project. This was a group of young people who had originally come together as a creative arts group but, when staff noticed that they all seemed to be passionate about activism, the group developed a new purpose. They started to make art which aimed to make a difference, taking on projects which reflected that.
For their original project with us, they created an art exhibition reacting to a range of data points in the #BeeWell survey. This was a powerful project which helped us to see some of the #BeeWell data in a different way. But soon after this project, when we approached them about doing some follow up work with us, we learnt that the group had no further funding and would not be able to continue as things stood.
With the funding from Children in Need, Artivists has been able to restart and go on to do more work focused on #BeeWell data. They have been able to create materials to recruit new members and grow their reach. And they have been commissioned to create a public exhibition alongside a mural artist, where they will be using art to transform as area of their community which has been marked by racist graffiti.
Gorse Hill also shared a case study with us regarding a young woman who has been profoundly affected by this work. A care experienced young person who joined seeking connection and confidence, they she went on to be trained as a Peer Leader, and has subsequently transitioned into a paid member of staff. This young person will now go on to lead the planning of the mural project.
A total of 15 young people have been involved in the project: 5 with active roles in planning and delivery, and ten who were beneficiaries and contributors. Some quotes from young people involved in this project include:
‘Even though my mates say ‘Why are you going to that session? Come out with us,’ I tell them no because I like coming here for myself. I don’t feel I have many places I can go or people to talk to who will listen because my teacher at school left and she understood, so I only have here really to talk to someone. I can’t talk to my aunty, she wont understand.’
‘I like coming because all my friends are here and It gets me feeling productive.’
‘I like coming because I find it peaceful coming here and being able to create and make friends. I enjoy it because it is different and fun, and positive. Just find it peaceful even when it is noisy.’
‘I come because it feels like a community and a family, I enjoy doing debates and conversations about deeper things.’
‘I think it is fun and I enjoy painting and spray painting and I feel like I have made friends.’
Salford Youth Services
Responding to data which told them that girls in their local area were significantly less likely than boys to meet guidelines for daily physical activity, a girl’s group from Salford decided to put on a girls only danceathon. For last year’s project, this was a one-off occasion. But the girls involved got so much from it that they wanted to take it further.
Through the funding from Children in Need, we were able to support them to do this.
A group of 13 young women came together to co-design a programme of dance sessions tailored to their interests and the needs of their peers. Using the funding to pay for dance instructors, they ran weekly sessions across different accessible centres in Salford. They included dance styles such as street, contemporary, and cultural dances. They also took part in a four-week programme offering daily physical activities such as football, boxing, and team games.
This project has helped to increase their physical activity levels. But it has also improved their confidence and social skills, their knowledge of local services, their friendships, and their planning and leadership skills.
Salford also provided a case study about a 13-year-old girl who found this project transformative. Referred to the girl’s group because of social isolation and struggles in making friendships at school, she was initially disruptive, disengaged, and struggling socially. Following a workshop about #BeeWell data for young women in their local area, she became very engaged, helped choose the topic, and led efforts to organise the danceathons. She has since become a key member of the group and has also joined other local activities such as girls boxing.
Quotes from this young person include:
‘I have got involved in things I wouldn’t have if I hadn’t come here.’
‘I feel confident to play football and do other sports now, even when boys are around.’
And some quotes from young women involved in the programme as a whole include:
‘I really enjoy dance and I have never tried this dance before but it was great.’
‘I have never been to a different youth centre but it was great meeting other girls from different parts of Salford.’
‘We danced with the Mayor.’
We want to thank everyone involved with these three projects, particularly the young people who have done some amazing work. For us at #BeeWell, it is really inspiring to see how our data can be used to make a real impact to the lives of children and young people.
Knowing that more young people in Oldham will feel empowered to use their voice, that young people from Gorse Hill will be using their art to inspire change, and that young women in Salford are now doing more physical activity, helps us to see how impactful #BeeWell data can be when put into the hands of young people.
And thank you, of course, to Children in Need for funding the continuation of this work.
