Youth Creativity & Construction Workshops
Tomorrowland was a youth-led creative programme delivered by Urban Wilderness CIC, supporting young people to imagine, design and build better futures for their communities and the environment. The project combined hands-on construction, creative thinking and youth-led action.
March 2020 – Construction Workshop (Aged 11–12)
In March 2020, Urban Wilderness CIC delivered an intensive four-day construction workshop with twenty young people aged 11–12. Participants learned to safely use power tools, took responsibility for on-site health and safety, and worked collaboratively to design and build a temporary house structure using reclaimed industrial pallets.
Young people self-selected roles such as site manager and materials co-ordinator, which had a positive impact on confidence, teamwork and behaviour. Several participants expressed interest in future building projects and careers in construction as a result of the experience.
May 2021 – Pop-Up Shop, Youth Bursaries & Mentored Projects
In May 2021, Urban Wilderness CIC opened a Tomorrowland pop-up shop in the Potteries Shopping Centre, transforming a vacant retail unit into a public platform for youth creativity and engagement. The space shared the project’s learning and invited young people into conversations about the future of their city.
Young people aged 14–24 were supported to develop and deliver their own community and environmental projects through micro-bursaries and mentor support. Realised projects included Trash to Treasure, a youth-created website promoting upcycling and recycling, and a community street party designed to bring residents together in a residential neighbourhood.
Project Legacy
Tomorrowland supported young people to build practical skills, confidence and agency through construction, creative exploration and youth-led action, demonstrating the value of giving young people the tools and space to shape their communities.
With thanks
Tomorrowland was delivered by Urban Wilderness CIC in partnership with Coop Academy Stoke, with the support of The Geoff Herrington Foundation, which funded the construction phase, and The National Lottery Community Fund’s #iwill Fund, which supported youth micro-bursaries and mentor provision.