John Rayson, Atkins’ managing director for the North, asks if the aspirations of the next generation align with decision-makers in the North.

Conversations around ‘levelling up’ are most often directed by those responsible for planning and delivering programmes of change. It’s seldom we hear from those whose lives and futures will be directly impacted by regional rebalancing projects, particularly the younger generations.

Our recent Levelling Up study with Northern Powerhouse Partnership sought to address that – exploring the views of young people from four Northern regions (Liverpool City Region, M6 Development Corridor, Teesside and West Yorkshire) on a range of themes including their perceptions of place and future prospects.

One of the starkest findings was that nearly half (44%) of young people in the north expect to move from their area permanently in the future, with employment prospects and a desire for a better living environment the central motives. Further just one third (33%) felt their area had benefitted from levelling up, while two fifths (44%) believed it had only helped older generations.

The results offer pause for thought and give a strong signal that change needs to be happening much faster.

Our Regional Rebalancing report from last year explored the challenges facing decision makers in the same four northern regions in relation to levelling up. Comparing the findings of this next generation research with the outtakes of this study, however, suggests local authorities and young people are on the same page when it comes to aspirations for regional rebalancing. Looking at the two studies side by side we find the following common themes.

Transport was one of the two main priorities cited by decision makers and selected as a major issue for young people. From limiting work or study options to simply being unaffordable or unreliable, the next generation research makes it explicit how poor transport can impact young lives, particularly those living outside of towns and cities.

Of course, the vitalness of transport in connecting communities and improving access to opportunities isn’t new, but the findings all add up to a need for even greater urgency to progress transport and infrastructure projects.

There was also mutual agreement that skills and job prospects are fundamental to regional rebalancing. Skills was identified as the second dominant priority (in both the short- and long-term) for decision makers, and is a concern echoed by the young, notably those living in towns and rural areas. Although 54% of young people feel they’ve been well prepared for the future job market, over half (56%) believe the high-quality jobs of the future will only be available in the big cities. Again, this suggests swifter action is needed to create more opportunities for young people, and indeed all those of working age, to flourish on their own doorstep.

Possibly, because of current challenges facing the country and the continued impact of the cost-of-living crisis, both decision makers and young people also share a lack of confidence that improvements to their area will be seen in the short-term. This is made explicit by the significant number of young people expecting to leave their area and the fact that only one in four decision-makers believe significant progress will be made over the next five years.

One point of difference that came across in the studies was around leisure options. Leisure was not cited as a priority for decision makers, but for young people (particularly those living outside of cities) was considered hugely important. Among 16-18 year olds for example, it was felt there wasn’t enough to do in their spare time and a need for more facilities, especially indoor options. For 19-21s who can (legally) use pubs and clubs, the feeling was this was a limiting option, especially for a generation that tends to drink less alcohol.

Another was climate change. A large majority (83%) of young people consider climate change as either one of the most important issues, or the most important issue, facing the world. But achieving net zero was currently lower down the chain of priorities for decision-makers in the short-term, although they remain committed in the medium term.

It’s encouraging that local authorities and young people are, in the main, aligned with their priorities for levelling up, but what the research really reinforces is the need for greater urgency in delivering on these shared goals. We also need to make sure all generations feel the benefits of funding, with investment directed into those projects and areas which solve the most pressing issues.

The private sector has a crucial role to play in helping deliver a levelled-up country, reducing inequalities and creating social value. I hope the research acts as a catalyst for business to redouble its efforts to create jobs and opportunities. Or at the very least, that it encourages all those involved in planning and delivering regional rebalancing, to engage more with young people to better understand what they want from the future and help deliver it.