This Power of Youth Day, we’re celebrating the creativity, leadership and determination of young people across the North East who are using the KEY+ Challenge to make a real difference in their communities.
From tackling local issues to building confidence and bringing people together, youth-led social action projects are showing just how powerful young people can be when they’re given the space and support to lead.
Here is a selection of some KEY+ groups leading change through youth-led social action projects across The Key.
Young people taking action on real issues
One powerful example comes from The Other Direction, a group of young people from Newcastle who chose to tackle vaping after noticing its growing impact in their communities. Through peer-led research with around 30 young people, they explored attitudes towards vaping, why people start, and the age it typically begins. They used their findings to create an awareness video and supportive resources to help others make informed choices, even sharing their work at an NHS health conference.
Their project is a strong reminder that young people aren’t just talking about change – they’re actively creating it.
Creativity, enterprise and community impact
Across The Key, young people are also using creativity and enterprise to bring their ideas to life.
The Hungry Hippos group developed an innovative driving simulator project, designed to support young people with road safety and theory test preparation through interactive learning. Their idea combined research, problem-solving and technical skills to create something that continues to be used in their youth club.
And in another project, We Can Better Than a Can Canner Can Can a Can, a group of young people created their own clothing brand focused on body confidence, selling items at local events and donating all profits to charity – showing how enterprise can also create meaningful social impact.
Art, identity and connection
For some groups, social action is about bringing people together and celebrating identity.
Food Around the World used their project to bring cultures together through community action, creating opportunities for young people to connect and celebrate diversity.
Meanwhile, Tricit used art as a way of building connection, transforming ideas into creative projects that gave young people a voice and platform to express themselves through a mural in their youth club.
Other groups, like Charming Brains, have worked to transform youth spaces, making environments more welcoming, inclusive and engaging for young people.
Mental health, wellbeing and awareness
Mental health and wellbeing continues to be a key focus for many young people.
Terry’s Cucumber Dinosaur Squad led a mental health awareness project, bringing local services together and helping young people access information and support in their community.
Alongside this, groups across The Key continue to design projects that support confidence, inclusion and emotional wellbeing in creative and youth-led ways.
Power of Youth Day is about recognising that young people are not just the leaders of the future – they are leaders right now.
Across The Key, we see young people identifying issues that matter to them, developing ideas, and turning them into action that has real impact on schools, communities and beyond.
Whether it’s tackling vaping, building simulators, creating art, or improving youth spaces, every project shows the same thing: when young people are trusted and supported, they create powerful change.
This is what youth-led social action looks like. And this is what we’re celebrating today, and everyday.
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