For Laila, taking part in Sunderland Youth Action Unlocked was an opportunity to make a real difference to the place she cares about most: her local community.
When we asked why Laila wanted to get involved in KEY+ and Youth Action Unlocked, her answer was simple: “It was a great opportunity for us to improve our local community/youth project.”
As a member of Washington Youth Council, Laila joined other young people to take part in Sunderland Youth Action Unlocked (YAU), a programme that challenged young people to create projects that would make their communities greener, cleaner, healthier and more connected.
Together, the group decided to transform an outdoor space into a sensory community garden that could be enjoyed by young people and the wider community for years to come.
From the beginning, Laila played a key role in shaping the project and helping the group’s vision become reality: “Creating the idea and helping it come together. I enjoyed watching everybody come together and work to create the garden, we have a great space.”
Like many young people taking part in KEY+, Laila had to step outside of her comfort zone. One of the things she felt most nervous about was pitching the group’s idea to a panel. The challenge became even greater when the number of people she was presenting to unexpectedly increased but Laila “remembered that this garden would transform our youth group and put on a strong front.”
That determination helped the group secure support for their project and move forward with creating the garden they had envisioned.
As the project developed, Laila saw first-hand what can happen when young people are trusted to lead. The group worked together to design and build a sensory garden featuring plants, scents, sounds and seating areas that would create a welcoming and calming space for the community.
For Laila, the most rewarding part of the experience was seeing the project take shape through the team’s collective effort: “seeing the garden come to life through our hard work.”
And the moment that made her especially proud? “Seeing the final result.”
Along the way, Laila developed a range of valuable skills that will support her in the future, including “collaborative skills, communication and teamwork.”
She reflected further on how the project helped her grow as a leader by learning to trust others’ ideas and work collaboratively as a team:
“I think I’ve developed letting other people take control because when we were at the event [YAU hack], and I immediately came up with the idea of the garden like I get this vision in my head and I find it hard to let everyone else have a say… so I think like letting other people have their own spin on the garden was something I had to learn.”
This experience taught Laila that great projects are built not by one person’s vision alone, but by bringing together different ideas, strengths and perspectives to create something even better.
However, the impact of the experience goes beyond skills alone. Through leading a project from idea to reality, Laila discovered something important about herself: “I’ve realised my ideas matter, and you have to BE CONFIDENT.”
Experiences like Sunderland Youth Action Unlocked help young people build belief in their own abilities, giving them opportunities to take ownership, solve problems and create positive change in their communities. For Laila, that has already had a significant impact on how she views her future.
So, when asked whether her KEY+ journey had helped her prepare her for work life or future goals, she said: “110%”
And Laila’s message to other young people thinking about taking part was: “Your ideas matter, as long as you’re committed you can do anything! BE CONFIDENT!”
Through Washington Youth Council's sensory garden project, Laila has helped create a lasting legacy for her community. But perhaps even more importantly, she has gained confidence in her own voice and discovered that her ideas have the power to create real change.
From developing an idea to seeing the finished garden come to life, Laila's journey shows what can happen when young people are given the opportunity to lead, believe in themselves and turn their ideas into action.
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