myplace youth centres

Design consultant for the Sorrell Foundationon, helping to develop four new youth centres… The centres are to be built over the next two years (2010 -2011)

The DCSF ‘myplace’ project is delivering £270m in capital investment to create a network of 70 exemplar youth centres across the UK. Recognising that youth input was required for the success of the project, the Sorrell Foundation was invited to apply their ‘joinedupdesign’ programme to the development of 25 of these centres. This programme empowers local young people through the creation of ‘youth client teams’ with decision making powers for the project. The benefit is twofold; better project outcomes by involving end-users in the design process, and a group of young people awakened to possibility of a career in design.

To ensure these youth teams  maintain an effective voice in directing the project outcomes, they are partnered with design professionals who act as mentors. The mentors lead the team through a professional design process of site visits, facilitated meetings and design workshops. For the ‘myplace’ project this culminated in the development of a concise design brief for each youth centre and gave the young people involved the confidence to assert the primacy of their role as clients in consultation with architects, graphic designers, and funding stakeholders.

William was assisted in this role by Steven Clutton, a former student of William’s and a general good egg.

To link to the Sorrell Foundation information

http://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/prog_myplace.htm