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YOUNG PLACEMAKERS

We’re excited to announce the launch of Southampton National Park City's "Young Placemakers" Mentorship Programme, a new initiative for 2024/5. Delivered as part of the YouCAN partnership and funded by the National Lottery Community Fund, this programme is designed to inspire, upskill, and resource Southampton’s young and emerging community leaders to become change agents in their local neighbourhoods.

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What is a 'placemaker'?​​

 

Placemaking refers to practices that build good quality, restorative and equitable places for us to live, work and play. This encompasses thinking and acting simultaneously on behalf of local human communities, but also local nature and biodiversity, understanding that all our needs are deeply aligned. Placemakers actively engage in these practices, focus on creating environments, cultures and opportunities that foster community, well-being, and sustainability. By reimagining and revitalizing spaces, they help create more inclusive, green, and resilient communities. In essence, placemakers are changemakers, dedicated to making our cities and neighbourhoods more liveable and rooted within nature.​

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What does the programme involve?

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Supported by experienced and passionate local campaigners, organisers, activists and more, participants will be supported to explore general principles of social/environmental action, and steps towards identifying local needs and opportunities. In partnership with their mentors, young placemakers will develop and deliver small local projects with and for their community, focused on enhancing urban green spaces, promoting biodiversity, nature connection, tackling socio-environmental injustices, and addressing the pressing challenges posed by climate change.

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Who can participate?

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For the first year of this project, we are pleased to offer six places on this scheme. The following outlines some of the key attributes young placemakers should be able to demonstrate to participate in this years' programme.​​

  • Age: This years' programme welcomes applications from those aged 18+ and strongly prioritises 18 - 25 year olds. However we may also accept applications from those aged 26+ depending on circumstance

  • Location: Participants must be living (full time, or the majority of the year) within the Southampton city boundaries

  • Priority areas: We will be prioritising applications from those who live, and want to develop projects within, areas of high nature-deprivation (specific areas TBC)

  • Eco-social interest: A demonstrated passion for local environmental and/or social issues

  • Community focus: Interest in making a positive impact within your local community, particularly in areas related to biodiversity, sustainability, climate resilience and social justice

  • Willingness to Learn: Openness to learning new skills, acquiring knowledge, and developing as a community leader/organiser

  • Time Commitment: Willingness to commit to the program’s duration (6 - 12 months, starting approximately Dec 2024), including attending regular mentorship sessions, workshops, and actively participating in project development.

We are also currently accepting applications for mentors, find out more below.

Tree Planting

Become a mentor

Do you want to inspire the next generation of changemakers by passing on your experience and passion for enhancing communities and local places?

​​Southampton is a city blessed with a range of passionate and experienced community organisers of all sorts, as such we are pleased to offer this as a mentorship scheme - an opportunity to pass on invaluable knowledges, experiences and insights.

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Mentoring offers great opportunities to not only share your skills and experience, creating a transformative ripple of impact across local communities, but can also be an invaluable opportunity to consolidate your skills in communication and motivating others.

 

As a mentor, you will play a crucial role in nurturing Southampton's emerging placemakers, guiding them through the programme by providing them with the support, knowledge, and inspiration they need to develop and implement impactful community projects. Your commitment and expertise will help shape the next generation of community leaders who are dedicated to creating a greener, more sustainable Southampton. 

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Interested in becoming a mentor?​

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We welcome interest from anyone who feels they have the experience, background and/or skills to support and mentor young and emerging placemakers. This will include supporting them through some broader learning, explorations and thinking, as well as supporting them in the development and delivery of their own small community-based projects.

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In particular, these are some of the experiences, attributes and availability we are looking for in mentors for this programme:

  • Time commitment: Available to meet with mentee(s) for approximately one - two hours per fortnight and for any reasonable correspondence in between meetings for the project duration (between 6 - 12 months)

  • Flexibility: Available for either online or in-person meetings in Southampton

  • Reliability: Consistent in attendance, responsive to communication both from mentee and SNPC, and dependable in fulfilling mentorship responsibilities throughout project duration

  • Community organising: Previous experience in leading or participating in  community-based projects, particularly those related to environmental issues, social justice, biodiversity or climate action

  • Local knowledge: Familiarity with Southampton’s communities, local challenges, and opportunities, particularly in the areas of green spaces, climate, and biodiversity

  • Project management: Experience in planning, executing and managing projects

  • Supportive: Experience or interest in taking on supportive roles

  • Empathetic: Ability to listen, empathise and provide constructive feedback

  • Inspiring communicator: Ability to motivate and inspire and communicate effectively

  • Commitment to diversity: Commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion within the programme, ensuring that all participants feel valued and supported

  • Resourceful: Knowledgeable about resources, tools, and strategies that can be leveraged to enhance project development and implementation

To apply to become a mentor, please express interest via the form below before the deadline of midnight on Wednesday 16 October 2024.

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If you have any questions, or would like to have a general discussion before submitting, please feel free to get in touch with Rae at rae.turpin@nationalparkcity.org.

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Become a Young Placemaker

We expect to open applications for this around mid-September 2024. Watch this space for more details, or sign up to our newsletter / join our WhatsApp broadcast channel for updates.

Gardening Tools

Support Young PLacemakers

As powerful as placemakers are, the best placemaking happens collaboratively, when all corners of communities can come together to transform our shared spaces. Can you offer any support to our young placemakers programme?

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You might be a local business owner, able to offer charitable discounts on goods or services that might be useful in, say, establishing new community gardens. You may have volunteering days available, and able to lend a hand. Do you have specific trade or other skills and can offer our young placemakers some training or other experience?

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We welcome any and all ideas and offers. Please do get in touch with us at southampton@nationalparkcity.org to discuss.

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