Rise and Lead

Rise and Lead: Young People Take Over Encounter Festival

At Wot Wud U Do, we believe young people should not just be consulted, they should be trusted to lead. Our Rise and Lead project has done exactly that, culminating in one of our most ambitious achievements yet: delivering a full youth-led programme as part of Encounter Festival 2025.

For the first time in the festival’s history, young people designed, organised and delivered their own large-scale public event, the Grand Games, taking over Birley Street in Preston on Saturday 20 September.

The Grand Games – Created by Young People, for Everyone

From 10am to 2pm, Birley Street was transformed into a buzzing arena of teamwork, creativity and friendly competition. The programme featured:

• Painting the knife crime mural designed by Mr Doodley

• Football darts and target challenges led by our very own Marlow and Jules

• A design your own mask competition led by our very own Liliiana, Libby and Dexter

• And the highlight of the day was the tug-of-war tournament, open to both young people and adults

While some team games required pre-registration, many of the activities were completely open – allowing anyone passing through the city to get involved. It was powerful to watch young people confidently managing registrations, refereeing games, supporting participants and engaging the public.

For many of the young producers, this was their first experience of running a public event of this scale. Through Rise and Lead they developed skills in planning, communication, leadership and problem-solving, all transferable skills that will support them into education, employment and volunteering.

“Through Our Eyes” – Tackling Bullying Through Film

The day didn’t stop with the games.

At 3.30pm in the Guild Lounge at Preston Guild Hall, our young producers premiered their new interactive anti-bullying film series, “Through Our Eyes.” Filmed and produced by young people in Preston with support from SoundSkills, the films explore bullying from a real, lived-experience perspective, asking audiences ‘Wot Wud U Do’ when presented with a variety of different interlinked scenarios, promting them to reflect, respond and start conversations.

A Deep Dive Into the Kid’s Mind – Mental Health by Young People

Alongside the film launch, the group also unveiled their brand-new mental health resource, “A Deep Dive Into the Kid’s Mind.” This booklet was written and designed by young people to support other young people, offering honest insights, guidance and encouragement around emotions, mental health and where to find help. This book was designed by young people, with young people, who shared their thoughts and reflections on mental health, advice for parents, and self help tips.

Rise and Lead – Building a Legacy

Rise and Lead is about more than a single event. It is about building a generation of confident peer leaders who feel valued, heard and capable of shaping their communities.

From creating films and mental health resources to delivering the Grand Games at a city-wide arts festival, our young people didn’t just take part, they took charge. And they showed Preston exactly what young people can do when they are trusted to lead.

As Dave Clayton, founder of Wot Wud U Do, explains:

“Not every young person thrives in a traditional classroom. This project gave them space to show what they can do, tapping into their creativity, lived experience and unique ways of seeing the world.”