About this seminar series

This series of seminars, hosted by the UCL Coastal Youth Life Chances team, brings together researchers, policymakers and practitioners who are interested in addressing the challenges facing young people growing up in coastal communities. The seminars cover a broad range of topics, including: education and employment opportunities on the coast; young people's mental health and wellbeing; leisure opportunities and spaces for local youth; and youth voice in local decision-making.

Throughout the series, we will hear from speakers from a range of organisations including the Coastal Navigators Network, DCMS, Barnardo's, and academic researchers based at UCL, University of Exeter and the University of Essex. This is an online event and registration is free and open to all. Once you have registered for an event, a MS Teams link will be sent to you via email.

Programme:

12pm - 1pm, Wednesday 30th September 2026
Leisure and social infrastructure:
(1) ‘Nothing to do and nowhere to go’: Leisure, social infrastructure and the erosion of youth belonging on the East of England coast (Sam Whewall, UCL-IOE & the CYLC project team)
(2) ‘What happens if we offer "Something to do and somewhere to go"? Adolescent leisure participation and life satisfaction in early adulthood’ (Avril Keating, UCL-IOE & the CYLC project team)

12pm - 1pm, Wednesday 7th October 2026
Education:
(1) Exploring spatial inequalities in educational outcomes: Are young people in coastal communities less likely to get a degree-level qualification? (Stephen Jivraj, Zongpu Yue & the CYLC project team)
(2) A practitioners’ perspective (Graeme Dow, Assistant Director of Children’s Services, Education and SEN, Blackpool Council)

12pm - 1pm, Wednesday 14th October 2026
Mental health and wellbeing:
(1) The coastal youth mental health crisis: a double whammy for youth living in deprived coastal communities of England (Emily Murray, Director of the Centre for Coastal Communities, University of Essex)
(2) Early inteventions in mental health: Evaluation of the Wellbeing Hubs and the ‘I am Me’ programme in Tendring and Colchester Primary Schools (Cara Booker, University of Essex)

12pm - 1pm, Wednesday 21st October 2026
Employment
(1) Moving for opportunities? The occupational destinations of 25-year-olds from rural and coastal areas in England (Christopher Playford, University of Exeter)
(2) Rising with the Tide: how the Coastal Navigators Network are seeking to support youth employment in coastal communities (Nicholas Werran, Breaking Barriers Innovations)

12pm - 1pm, Wednesday 28th October 2026
Amplifying Youth Voice in Local Decision-making
(1) Community level: Connected Communities research with young people along the Cumbrian coast (Suzanne Wilson, University of Lancashire)
(2) National policymaking and youth voice: Koby Davis (youth worker, PhD student, and member of DCMS Youth Strategy Youth Advisory Group)

For any queries, please contact one of the organisers:
Dr Sam Whewall (s.whewall@ucl.ac.uk)
Prof. Avril Keating (a.keating@ucl.ac.uk)

This event is funded by UKRI-ESRC (grant ref. ES/X001202/1).