Inspire Future Generations
Inspire Future Generations
Placemaking for all
How the Inspire Programme Engages Children and Young People in Place Making
The Inspire Programme recognises projects that demonstrate excellence, creativity, care, and a genuine commitment to engaging children and young people in shaping the spaces around them. Over the past four years, we have played a key role in growing a significant community of practice: connecting people, sharing knowledge, and fostering collaboration around inclusive, child- and youth-centred design.
By highlighting the value of participation, we help ensure that the design of our cities and communities reflects the needs, ideas and aspirations of younger generations. By gathering and sharing examples of inspiring practice, exploring different approaches and methods, and celebrating those who are leading the way, we aim to inspire and support more professionals and organisations to get involved.
Linking real-world places, problems and design thinking to young people’s everyday environments helps to develop their creativity, critical thinking, curiosity and confidence to engage meaningfully in the place making process
Why Young People Engagement Matters in place-making
To engage children and young people with the built environment and support and professionals and organisations with innovative ways to incorporate them into the decision making process
Key objectives for engagement in the built environment
1) Incorporate youth participatory design into architecture, urban design and the built environment
2) Explore and gather innovative methods and approaches
3 Nurture cross-sector collaboration between built environment professionals, developers and local authorities
Programme Structure: Awards, Resources and Community:
Inspire Future Generations Awards: Celebrating Youth Engagement in Architecture: Our principal aim of running this awards programmeis to open up space for young people to be heard, participate in and empowered in decisions about the environments they live, learn, and play in.
“It was a very special moment when AHMM won the Thornton Education Trust Inspiring Future Generations Social Value award. It was the first time that we had entered an award recognising this area of our work and it has been a fantastic way to celebrate and shine a light on it.” Claire Pollock, Partnerships Lead, AHMM
Resource Bank: Award‑Winning Case Studies in children and youth‑Led Design. Mapping UK winners and commendations. Winning award entries added to the TET Resource Bank in 2026
Presentations and Dialogues: Sharing Practice Across the Sector: Each year winners are invited to present their work through a series of TET online presentations as part of our TET Dialogues. The TET Dialogues bring together experts and practitioners to share knowledge on key themes such as neighbourhoods, schools and public space, highlighting best practice in engaging children and young people in the built environment. Explore recent TET Dialogues, including our Neighbourhoods events, on the Dialogues page.
Network and Resources for Child‑Centred City‑Making: A supportive network of practitioners who are passionate about creative, place-based learning. A community where resources can be shared, as well as ideas, and encouragement, no matter where youʼre based.
Annual Survey and Directory of Youth Participatory Design Practitioners: Annnual Empowering Environment Report highlighting trends and who is doing what in this field
Looking back: Inspire Future Generations Awards winners and finalists - 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021
