Organisations with experience in supporting and engaging young people are being encouraged to get involved in plans to establish a new Washington Young People's Board.
The Washington Pride in Place Board is inviting Expressions of Interest from organisations working in the area to help establish and lead the new group, giving young people a greater voice in their local community.
Washington Pride in Place was awarded up to £20m in Phase 1 of the Government’s Pride in Place programme.
The programme is overseen by the Washington Pride in Place Programme Board, which brings together representatives from the public, private, voluntary, community and education sectors to guide investment and ensure that local people are at the heart of decision-making.
The programme is focused on three overarching objectives:
Building thriving places.
Strengthening communities.
Ensuring residents’ views are at the heart of decision-making.
With a firm commitment to making sure that young people have a strong voice, Washington Pride in Place Board has already created two places on the Board for young people and is looking to engage with younger residents more broadly to ensure their voices are heard as proposals are developed and decisions are made about future projects and investment.
Ahead of establishing a Washington Young People’s Board, the main Board has already held a workshop for organisations across the city working with young people to shape the role of the Young People’s Board.
It now wants to hear from organisations that are active in Washington with experience of working with young people who might be interested in leading it. This includes getting a better understanding of who they would be working with, so that it can make sure that the Young People’s Board’s reach is as wide as possible.
The Board is now inviting Expressions of Interest from groups with experience of engaging young people, developing youth leadership, and supporting meaningful youth participation in civic and community development. This will be followed by an interview process to assess the submitted bids.
The successful organisation will be expected to create an inclusive and representative group of young people from across Washington and support their development as community leaders and changemakers, working with partners wherever appropriate.
Ruth Walker, Chair of the Washington Pride in Place Board, said:
"Young people are the future of Washington and it's vital that their voices are included in the decisions we make.
"We want to understand what matters most to them, what they enjoy about living here, and what changes they would like to see in the years ahead.
"The Board will be meeting to consider future investment opportunities later this year and we want to make sure that the next generation have a chance to play a meaningful role in shaping these developments."
At the start of the project, engagement with residents identified a number of key priorities, including spending time in nature, feeling safe, vibrant villages and town centre, transport and infrastructure, youth and community opportunities, and improving the appearance of streets and public spaces.
Together, these priorities helped shape the Board's vision for Washington as a town where everyone feels safe, connected and proud, with vibrant villages, a welcoming town centre and opportunities for people of all ages to thrive.
Expressions of interest in the Young People’s Board must be submitted by 2 November 2026. The successful organisation is expected to be appointed in December, with delivery beginning in January 2027. Funding has been allocated to support the Young People’s Board throughout the first investment period for the Washington Pride in Place Board which runs to March 2030.
Washington Pride in Place is already making a difference in the community, with the first round of grants awarded to charities which are active in Washington - The Special Lioness, Melanoma-Me Foundation, Harraton and District Community Centre, Community Health and Wellbeing Hub, Sharp, as well as the Oxclose District Young People’s Project (ODYPP).
There are still opportunities for VCSE organisations to apply for funding, with the programme open for applications until 5pm on Monday 30 November, or until all the funding has been fully committed.
Organisations interested in submitting an expression of interest to lead the Washington Young People’s Board or in applying for or seeking further information on grant funding, can contact washingtonplan@sunderland.gov.uk
