All posts by : Shirley Jackson

Where we are now

At this stage, we have moved from generating ideas to developing a clearer picture of how the idea could work in practice.

We now have:

• A more detailed understanding of the young person’s journey
• A clearer view of what is needed from schools and businesses
• A set of prioritised features that form a first version of the idea

This session focuses on stepping back and reflecting on what has been developed so far.

What we’re focusing on

The aim of this session is to:

• Reflect on the progress made so far
• Agree how we describe the idea clearly to others
• Identify which part of the idea we want to focus on for feedback
• Begin preparing to test the idea with a wider audience

Describing the idea

We will start by reviewing the idea as a whole and thinking about how to explain it simply.

This includes:

• What the idea is
• How it works
• Who it is for
• What problem it is trying to solve

Young people will work in small groups to:

• Describe the idea in their own words
• Identify the strongest part of the idea
• Consider whether the idea is developed enough to share more widely

Focusing the idea

As the idea has several elements, we will explore whether it is helpful to focus on one key part at this stage.

This helps to:

• Make testing more manageable
• Gather clearer feedback
• Strengthen one part of the idea before expanding further

Young people will consider:

• Which part of the idea feels most realistic
• Which part would have the biggest impact
• Where more feedback is needed

Planning for feedback

The session will then move into thinking about who we need to hear from.

This could include:

• Other young people
• Local businesses
• Schools or colleges
• Local authority teams

Young people will reflect on:

• Whose feedback is most important at this stage
• What we need those groups to tell us
• How their feedback could improve the idea

Developing questions

In small groups, young people will begin creating survey questions to test the idea.

These questions will focus on:

• Current experiences (what is working and what is difficult now)
• Reactions to the idea (what people like or don’t like)
• Feasibility (what could make it work or not work)
• Suggestions for improvement

This will help ensure that the feedback we gather is useful and relevant.

What we expect to take from this session

By the end of the session, we aim to have:

• A clearer and more confident way of describing the idea
• Agreement on which part of the idea to focus on
• A list of key groups to gather feedback from
• A draft set of survey questions

What we’re noticing

As the idea develops, we are beginning to see:

• The importance of keeping the idea clear and focused
• The value of testing ideas early, rather than waiting until everything feels complete
• The role of different perspectives in strengthening the design

There is also growing confidence in the idea itself, alongside an understanding that it will continue to evolve.

Next steps

Following this session, we will:

• Finalise the survey
• Share it with identified groups
• Begin gathering feedback
• Use responses to refine and improve the idea

This will move the work from development into testing and iteration.

Where we got to

In this session, we moved from having a strong idea to starting to understand how it would actually work in practice.

The focus was on taking what had been discussed in previous weeks and adding more detail — thinking about what needs to happen, who needs to be involved, and what young people would experience step by step.

What we focused on

We started by recapping the idea that had been developing around improving access to youth employment opportunities.

This includes:

• Better connections between schools and local businesses
• More accessible work experience and part-time opportunities
• Support with practical skills like CV writing and interview preparation

From there, the session focused on developing this idea further through a series of activities.

Mapping how the idea works

The first activity was a Service Blueprint Lite, where young people mapped out how the idea would work in the real world.

They explored:

• The journey of a young person from first hearing about the opportunity through to completing a placement
• What schools would need to do at each stage
• What would be required from businesses
• The tools and resources needed to support the process

This helped highlight where things might work well, but also where there could be gaps or challenges .

Identifying what really matters

We then moved into prioritising the different parts of the idea using a MoSCoW approach.

Young people worked through:

• What the idea must have to function
• What would be useful but not essential
• What could be added later

This helped shift the thinking from a broad idea to something more realistic and achievable, particularly when considering real-life constraints such as time, resources, and access .

Bringing the idea to life

The final part of the session focused on storyboarding.

Young people created simple visual journeys showing:

• How a young person would first come across the opportunity
• The steps they would take to get involved
• How they might feel at different stages
• What support they would need along the way

This helped move the idea from something conceptual to something more tangible, highlighting both the experience and potential barriers.

What we noticed

A few key themes came through during the session:

• The importance of making opportunities easy to find and access
• The need for clear communication between young people, schools, and businesses
• The role of support at key moments, particularly when confidence is low
• The importance of keeping things simple and realistic, especially for businesses and schools

There was also a strong focus on ensuring that the idea works for young people who may face additional barriers.

What we’re taking forward

By the end of the session, we had:

• A clearer understanding of how the idea could work in practice
• A set of prioritised features for a first version
• Initial storyboards showing the young person’s experience

This gives us a strong foundation to move into the next stage.

Next steps

The next session will focus on stepping back and reflecting on the idea as a whole.

We will:

• Review what has been developed so far
• Think about how to clearly describe the idea to others
• Identify who we want to share it with
• Develop questions to gather feedback

This will help us test the idea more widely and continue refining it based on real input

As part of the KAILO programme in Havering, young people have been working together to explore the issues that most affect their wellbeing, safety, and experiences within their community. Through a series of workshops, the group has been identifying the areas where they believe real change could make the biggest difference for young people.

Rather than simply discussing problems, the programme encourages young people to look deeper at the systems around them — exploring not only the visible issues but also the patterns, structures, and beliefs that influence them. This approach helps young people move beyond identifying challenges and towards developing meaningful solutions.

During recent sessions, participants reviewed the range of potential change areas they had identified together. Using a structured activity, the group worked through a series of steps to decide which issue should become the main focus of their project. Young people began by voting individually for the areas they felt were most important, ensuring that every voice in the room was heard from the outset.

The most supported ideas were then explored in small groups, where participants discussed key questions including:

• Why this issue matters for young people
• Whether meaningful change would be realistic
• How young people’s voices could help shape solutions

Each group then shared short “lightning pitches,” presenting their thoughts and insights to the wider group. Finally, young people used a scoring system to evaluate each change area based on factors such as impact, feasibility, and the level of energy and motivation within the group to tackle the issue.

This process helped the group move from a broad list of concerns to a clear, shared priority, ensuring that the final decision reflected the perspectives and experiences of the young people involved.

Once the priority change area had been selected, the group began the next stage of the programme: visioning the future. Through creative activities such as vision boards, young people explored what a positive future could look like if meaningful change was achieved. They considered how young people would feel, how systems and services might work differently, and what success would look like for their community.

One of the most powerful aspects of this process has been seeing how the young people have come together as a group, supporting each other’s ideas and recognising that many of their experiences are shared. As the sessions have progressed, participants have grown in confidence, speaking openly about the challenges they face while also contributing thoughtful and creative ideas about how change could happen.

By working collaboratively and using structured tools to guide their thinking, the group is now moving forward with a clear focus and a shared vision for positive change.

The next stage of the programme will involve developing practical ideas and exploring how these visions can begin to translate into real improvements for young people across Havering.

Key Outcomes from the Change Area Process

• Young people identified and explored multiple issues affecting their wellbeing
• A structured decision-making process ensured every voice contributed
• Participants evaluated change areas based on impact, feasibility, and youth influence
• The group agreed on a shared priority area for change
• Young people began imagining positive future solutions through visioning activities

Session 7 of the KAILO programme marked an important milestone as the group worked together to agree their final priority area for change and began shaping their vision for what a better future could look like for young people. The session began with a review of feedback from the Big Circle, alongside the change areas the group had been exploring during previous sessions. This helped participants reflect on the different issues affecting young people’s wellbeing and consider where their ideas and experiences could have the greatest impact.

To support the decision-making process, the group took part in a structured voting and discussion activity. Young people first voted individually for the change areas they felt were most important. The remaining options were then explored in small groups, where participants discussed key questions around impact, feasibility, and the role of youth voice in shaping solutions.

Each group then presented short “lightning pitches,” explaining why their chosen area mattered and how change might be possible. Through open discussion and a final scoring process, the group collectively agreed on their priority change area, demonstrating strong collaboration and respect for each other’s perspectives.

Following the decision, the session moved into an exciting visioning activity. Working in small teams, young people created vision boards that illustrated what the future could look like if meaningful change was achieved in the chosen area. Using creative materials and discussion, they explored ideas for environments, opportunities, and support systems that would improve wellbeing for young people.

The activity sparked a great deal of energy and creativity within the room. As the young people shared their vision boards, it was clear that the group had begun to come together with a shared purpose, building on each other’s ideas and imagining practical ways that change could happen.

The session concluded with a discussion about next steps, including whether additional voices or external expertise might help strengthen the ideas being developed. Young people were encouraged to continue thinking about how their visions could begin to translate into real solutions before the next session.

This session represented a key turning point in the programme, as the group moved from exploring problems to actively designing the future they want to see for young people in Havering.