The Northern Futures website has been set up (http://northernfutures.dialogue-app.com) so people can share and discuss their ideas online. All they need to do is register on the site and they will immediately be able to join the debate. Anyone who does not want to share their ideas on the website can email the project team directly (northern.futures@cabinet-office.x.gsi.gov.uk) or make contact via twitter (@North_Futures).

The Deputy Prime Minister and his staff will also be visiting towns and cities across the North to give experts and non-experts alternative ways to engage in the debate.

The process will conclude with a Northern Futures Summit, scheduled to take place in Leeds on 6 November, where we’ll bring the conversation together and agree a way forward. The Centre for Cities is convening the event on behalf of the Deputy Prime Minister.

The benefits of taking part 

The benefits to you from taking part in the initiative are three-fold:

1)      Opportunities for young people: this is an opportunity for young people to pitch their ideas and engage in a real life policy making process, as well as getting the chance of meeting the Deputy Prime Minister to explain their ideas and pitch to an audience of 300 people at the Northern Futures Summit

2)      Influencing: Your organisation will also get the opportunity to pitch any ideas either about youth policy or northern futures directly to the Deputy Prime Minister’s staff

3)      Publicity: If you choose to get involved, your organisation will be publicised on both the Northern Futures and the Deputy Prime Minister Office website, as well as via Twitter.

How you can get involved

We’d like you to take part in a series of activities over the coming two months that culminates in a summit on 6 November:

w/c 8 Sep 2014              Young People’s Week

We would like you to encourage young people across the North to get involved with the debate via Twitter, email and the Northern Futures website

16 Oct 2014                      Policy Lab Open Ideas Day

We would like you to put forward young people to attend Open Ideas Day across 7 locations in the North, where up to five young people at each location will get a chance to discuss their ideas in a real life policy making process

6^th Nov 2014                       Northern Futures Summit in Leeds

We want those young people with the best Northern Futures ideas to pitch their ideas at our summit on 6 November. In addition, we want to make space for at least 50 young people to attend the summit as delegates

We would also welcome other ideas you have for engaging young people in the debate.

Next steps

If anyone is interested in taking part in this fantastic initiative, please let Audrey know by 12 noon on Wednesday 3 September. We then want to work with you to make the week commencing 8 September a ‘Young People’s week to get young people fully involved in the debate.