This is The North 2025, captured a day of powerful, people-led conversations. The energy in the room was undeniable. The young people in the room were calling for radical change, communities were sharing what works, and everyone was collectively reflecting. This was a day to pause, to think, to listen and to reconnect with each other and with purpose.

It’s crucial that people come together with leaders to ensure that plans are not created top-down but are instead co-produced in a regularised way, fully reality-informed and grounded in the lived experiences and expertise of those they’re meant to benefit. Easier said than done, we know, but where there’s a will, there’s a way. If everyone is willing to cross boundaries, sectors, hierarchies, and differences, great things can be achieved.

We’re starting a renewed journey towards democratising democracy, bringing soft intelligence to the table to shape and build the art of the possible. The work in the coming months will focus on ensuring that plans reflect the pragmatic needs of everyday people, ensuring democracy works for everyone. #LetThePeopleIn ensures the work is more inclusive and impactful.

The growing base of support for People’s Powerhouse sends a clear mandate for change, one driven by community-led insight, pragmatism and collective wisdom. People’s Powerhouse is passionate about bringing this intelligence to leaders and showcasing how the people of the North are the key to building a stronger, more inclusive region.

The workshops showed how effective prevention is rooted in place and local context. The interactive activities embedded the ethos that prevention thrives on creativity, shared learning, and cross-pollination of ideas drawn from experts by experience across different sectors and communities.

We created the bridge between grassroots perspectives and formal power. The importance of being informed by everyday experiences encouraged openness and honesty throughout the day. Participants called for ‘democratising democracy’ and listening to communities for effective change. Amongst the myriad examples were these:

GMCA’s lived-experience-led initiatives reduced youth unemployment by 15%, showing the impact of co-produced strategies.

One delegate cited a community bakery that kept £100k circulating within their town.

“Employment Reimagined” highlighted programmes that supported ex-offenders into stable work, preventing re-offence and saving local services £250k a year.

A youth-led mental health campaign that prevented 20 cases of escalation into crisis intervention in one year. an adult education programme in Bolton, which prevented 150 adults from dropping out of skills training by involving them in curriculum planning.

Liverpool’s leadership in governance, transport, and sustainability was underscored by Cllr Liam Robinson, who reminded everyone to be brave and that “we are the bosses” and that local decision-making relies on resident involvement.

Throughout the day, we aimed to model the very collaboration, fun and co-production we advocate.