The voices of girls and young women are too often missing from traditional consultations and design processes. At Lancaster West Estate, the wider site in which the Grenfell tragedy occurred, Make Space for Girls and Social Place worked with local young women to address this gap.
These Young Ambassadors took part in a paid working and learning programme exploring housing, gender, race, space and design. Over several months, they developed their ideas through workshops, site visits, creative activities and discussions. The result is an illustrated narrative that captures their reflections and proposals for a more inclusive estate.
This report demonstrates how detailed engagement, even with a small group, can unlock powerful insights into the barriers young women face - and the solutions they imagine. Its aim is to foreground the voices of the Young Ambassadors themselves, valuing their lived experience and vision for the future.
This has been a project about listening deeply, questioning our own methods and investing in young women’s voices. We hope the report will help shape conversations and action not only in Lancaster West, but far beyond.
The project was delivered in partnership with Turkington Martin Architects and the Lancaster West Neighbourhood Team.
You can view the report here.
