Our first Kailo Small Circle session marked the beginning of an exciting journey, bringing together a group of young people — many of whom had never met before — to start working together on issues that matter to them and their community. From the moment everyone arrived, the atmosphere was positive, welcoming and full of energy, and it was clear very quickly that the group was beginning to gel.

The session focused on forming the group and building trust, helping everyone feel comfortable, respected and ready to take part. Through icebreakers, group discussions and shared activities, young people were encouraged to get to know one another, find common ground and start building relationships. Despite being a brand-new group, there was a strong sense of openness and mutual respect, with young people engaging confidently and supporting each other’s contributions.

A key part of the session was introducing what Kailo is all about and why the group will be working together over the coming months. Young people learned that they will be exploring an “opportunity area” linked to feeling welcomed, valued and connected in their community, and that their experiences and ideas will shape what happens next. The facilitators explained how the Small Circle process gives young people real influence, not just to talk about issues, but to help design solutions that can lead to wider change.

The group also worked together to create their own ways of working agreement, setting out how they want to treat each other, how to keep the space safe, and how everyone can feel confident sharing their views. This was an important moment in giving young people ownership of the space and reinforcing that this is a group built on trust, respect and listening to one another.

To keep the conversation going between sessions, young people were given a creative task called “Visual Voice”, where they were asked to take photos in their local area that show both challenges and positive spaces, helping them reflect on what community and belonging really mean to them. This will feed directly into future sessions as the group begins to explore issues more deeply and map where change could happen.

Overall, Session 1 was a strong and encouraging start. Young people engaged fully, supported one another, and quickly formed connections, setting the tone for the months ahead. We are incredibly proud of how positively the group came together and are excited to continue this journey with them as they move into the next stage of discovery and co-design.