Thalia Papanicolaou from HUDL Youth Development Agency shares her insights into how the Blue Spaces programme unfolded - and why this way of working with young people created such meaningful change.
“The Involving Young People Collective held us to account in a healthy way - it deepened the process.”
- Esmée staff member
Over the past two and a half years, the Blue Spaces programme has experimented in doing funding in collaboration with the Involving Young People Collective (IYPC) differently. Rather than involving the IYPC at specific, one-off, moments of the grant assessment process, Esmée invited members of the IYPC into every stage of the funding process - from assessing the first Expressions of Interest (EOIs), through to funding decisions, site visits, and delivering learning sessions for grantees.
This was the first Esmée programme where the IYPC were involved across the lifespan of a grant programme. Eight IYPC consultants have contributed their time, perspective, and lived experience. We recently brought everyone together to reflect on what this meant to everyone, and a striking theme emerged: Blue Spaces felt different.
“It felt like everyone had space to speak - it was empowering.” – IYPC Member
“Working with IYPC has been the highlight… it shaped the programme in such a positive way.” – Esmée staff member
The Blue Spaces programme: What felt different
From the start, the IYPC described the programme as particularly relational. Across the Esmée and IYPC team, members took time to co-create each stage of the process, discuss roles, and make space for differing perspectives. This helped the IYPC feel valued as collaborators, rather than “contributors” or “guests”.
One IYPC member shared: “I felt genuinely listened to. It didn’t feel tokenistic.”
An Esmée staff member reflected that the involvement of young people brought a grounding effect: “Being able to bring lived experience into conversations shifted the tone of discussions.”
Collaboration, relationships and trust
Trust emerged as the foundation of the collaboration. IYPC members felt able to ask clarifying questions, express uncertainty, and share reflections honestly. Many credited this to the consistent, thoughtful approach taken by staff to involve the IYPC as true partners.
“Jenny (Esmée's Blue Spaces Manager) made sure we were involved at every stage… it made everything feel intentional.”
This trust strengthened decision-making too. When differing viewpoints emerged in assessments or learning conversations, people felt more comfortable exploring them together.
However, several people also reflected that deeper collaboration would have benefitted from more time. Building trust is meaningful work, and this can’t be rushed. Moving forward we want to consider how we can bolster timelines to allow enough time for onboarding and familiarity in projects.
Youth voice and influence
The involvement of the IYPC didn’t just influence the tone of different touchpoints, it influenced decisions. Across the Esmée and IYPC team, it was widely agreed that youth perspectives helped challenge assumptions, broaden the criteria people used in assessments, and anchor decision-making in the 10 Values for Co-Production, which guides the working partnership between Esmée, the IYPC & Hudl.
“IYPC held us to account in a healthy way - it deepened the process.” – Esmée staff member
The contribution of the IYPC aligned the Blue Spaces Programme with the 10 Values, such as ‘leadership, training & opportunities’, ‘transparency & trust’, and ‘commitment & longevity’.
Some consultants shared that clearer expectations and training at certain stages would have strengthened their confidence. This insight is not a critique - it’s evidence of a growing culture of shared leadership and continuous improvement, and particularly symptomatic of having people join the process at different times. Consistent check-ins on expectations and knowledge bases will help to alleviate this moving forwards.
Thalia was a consultant with the Involving Young People Collective (IYPC) and now works with HUDL Youth Development Agency helping to facilitate Esmée's work with the IYPC.
Site visits: Seeing the work first-hand
The young consultant who joined site visits described them as some of the most inspiring moments of the entire programme. Being able to meet organisations, see projects in context, and hear directly from people affected by environmental challenges helped bring funding decisions to life.
One IYPC member noted: “The site visit helped me understand the complexity of what organisations are dealing with - it made everything more real.”
These visits also offered a shared learning moment between Esmée staff and the IYPC, reinforcing the programme’s emphasis on partnership and collaboration.
The DEI event in Wales: A standout experience
For many, the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) event and learning day in Wales was the highlight of Blue Spaces.
“The in-person day helped everything click.” – IYPC Member
“Being in the place made the environmental work feel real and connected.” – IYPC Member
The day brought together grantees, IYPC members, and Esmée staff and trustees in a shared learning space, strengthening understanding of:
- how environmental and social inequalities overlap
- why place-based learning matters
- what co-production feels like in practice
Several people mentioned that they would love to see more in-person, place-based sessions in future programmes.
Impact of the collaboration on Esmée and the Involving Young People Collective
Across reflections, respondents described Blue Spaces as a powerful model for Esmée x IYPC collaboration.
“I think IYPC’s involvement made the whole process more intentional and values-led.” – Esmée Staff Member
People named growth in their skills. From reflective dialogue and facilitation to a deeper understanding of place-based work and environmental justice. Staff also reflected on shifts in how they think about power, co-design, and partnership.
Blue Spaces has shown that involving young people meaningfully in funding isn’t just feasible, it’s transformative. It deepens relationships, enriches decision-making, and brings further intention to the work.
What emerged from this programme was a shared learning journey rooted in trust, collaboration, and curiosity. This learning will continue to shape how Esmée and the IYPC work together in the years ahead.
