November 25, 2025
Harrison Foundation and NE Youth Empower the Next Generation of Leaders
The 2025 Young Leaders Programme, delivered by North East charity NE Youth and funded by the Harrison Foundation, was a great success, helping young people across the North East discover their potential and grow in confidence. Through practical activities, teamwork challenges and opportunities to lead, the programme equips participants with the skills and self-belief to make a difference in their schools and communities.
Across the three days, youth workers guided ten young people aged 13–14 through a series of creative and hands-on activities focused on teamwork, problem-solving and leadership development. Each young person brought their own unique interests and personality to the sessions, from sports and performing arts to academic pursuits, and the programme was carefully tailored to ensure everyone could take part and learn.
A key feature of the project was the creation of a student campaign, giving young people the chance to make their voices heard on issues that mattered to them. The students worked collaboratively to refine their ideas, delivering pitch-style presentations and creating a powerful video that captured their real experiences. The presentation had a tangible impact – their school was so impressed that it committed to working with the students to bring their idea to life. As one teacher commented, the students’ work “was really impressive and is being taken forward.”
The experience was very valuable for the participants as well. Feedback from the young people captured the impact created by the programme. One of the participants said: “It’s been refreshing and relaxing. The best part was being treated like equals. It’s given us life skills that we didn’t know we needed.”
Beyond the campaign, the Young Leaders Programme also helped participants learn how to work as a team, communicate effectively and express their ideas with confidence. Youth workers provided ongoing one-to-one support, ensuring each young person felt supported.
Daniel Harrison MBE, trustee of the Harrison Foundation, said: “We believe in giving young people new opportunities and that’s exactly what NE Youth’s Young Leaders Programme achieves. It gives young people the chance to discover their own strengths, develop real-world skills and use their voices to create change in their communities. The confidence and initiative shown by this group are inspiring and it’s been a privilege to support such an impactful programme.”