Young professionals secure their own Sunderland Legacy

Young people from across Sunderland are joining forces to help shape the city's future as part of a global leadership programme.

Sunderland Legacy will bring together 18-25 year olds from a range of employers and education providers across the city to help make it a cleaner, greener city for generations to come.

Led by Common Purpose, a global non-profit organisation which delivers leadership programmes in over 200 cities globally, the programme aims to ensure Sunderland's young leaders of the future have the confidence and skills required to drive the city forward.

Over 60 young people have been selected to take part in the programme from a number of organisations, including Together For Children, Sunderland Care & Support, Gentoo, Sunderland College, Sunderland City Council and University of Sunderland.

Not only will this provide those involved with the opportunity to meet fellow like-minded young people passionate about shaping Sunderland's future, but it will also help develop and practice core leadership skills such as problem solving, communication and team working.

The participants will also be given the opportunity at the end of the four-day programme to present their own ideas to senior officials from major employers on how they would recommend reducing carbon footprints and helping the city achieve its low carbon ambitions.

Partners from across Sunderland unveiled the city's Low Carbon Framework in December 2020 outlining the steps required to ensure the city works towards carbon neutrality by 2040.

One priority area is around engaging with residents and organisations and cooperating to shift towards more sustainable behaviours. Activities are already being taken forward to engage young people in Low Carbon decision making and action including through the city's  Environment, Green, Sustainable (EGS) group made up of children and young people from local schools, youth groups, colleges and universities.

The launch of the Sunderland Legacy programme will provide another avenue for young people to have a chance to shape the city's low carbon plans and activities and rise to the challenge of tackling climate change.

Cllr Graeme Miller, leader of Sunderland City Council, said: "Climate change poses an existential threat to our planet and then, while it will impact the lives of each and every one of us, it is our young people who will bear the brunt of its consequences the most.

"That is why initiatives such as Sunderland Legacy and our EGS group are so important. Not only will it empower our young people to drive the changes they'd like to see in their city, but it will also give them the skills to lead the charge as they look to the future, ensuring they have the confidence and ability to lead others and become the change they would like to see in the world.

"We are delighted to be working with Common Purpose on the initiative as well as all of the Sunderland partner organisations who have signed up to deliver the programme and I think I speak for all involved when I say we can't wait to meet the young people and hear all of their ideas on how to make Sunderland a cleaner, greener city to live, work and play."

Marie Mohan, UK Managing Director of Common Purpose added : "We are delighted to be running our first Sunderland Legacy programme, our twelfth in the UK. Legacy programmes invite young people to think ahead to what they want their legacy to be. They invest in young people, developing their leadership skills, connecting them to their communities and providing them with a chance to input to a local green challenge."

Sponsors of the Sunderland Legacy programme include Sunderland City Council, the University of Sunderland, Arctic Wolf, Ashmore Consulting, South Tyneside & Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust, Gentoo and Sunderland College.

For more information on Sunderland's Low Carbon Framework, visit: https://www.sunderland.gov.uk/lowcarbon