From conference to communities: my reflections on Labour Party Conference

By Tanisha Zaman, Communications & Research Officer, Partnership for Young London

This year, I attended Labour Party Conference in Liverpool with the Patchwork Foundation, as a non-party political delegate representing the charity sector. As PYL’s Communications & Research Officer, I was interested in what the discussions could mean for young people and how the organisations working alongside them could help shape what happens next.

With a change in leadership and Labour already in government, it was a particularly interesting moment to attend. Across speeches and fringe events, I kept returning to the question of delivery: how would the ambitions discussed translate into changes young people could feel in their everyday lives?

In his conference speech, Prime Minister Andy Burnham connected young people’s prospects to youth services, mental health support and educational pathways. He outlined ambitions for greater parity between academic and technical education, alongside work placements and apprenticeships. Hearing these issues discussed together prompted me to consider how support would reach young people facing several barriers at once.

An apprenticeship may be difficult to access without affordable transport. A training opportunity might remain out of reach without support for a health condition or caring responsibilities. From a youth-sector perspective, I wanted to consider how policies would work together around a young person’s circumstances.

Making enrichment accessible

One fringe event that particularly interested me was From school trips to system change: making enrichment a core part of education, involving PGL Beyond and the Purpose Coalition. It explored an issue that deserves greater attention: who gets access to the experiences beyond the classroom that can shape their confidence, interests and future choices?

In its published reflection on the event, PGL described the case for making enrichment a consistent part of education, with access independent of a young person’s background or circumstances. Speakers also discussed its contribution to relationships, wellbeing and personal development.

My notes from this session focused on the challenge of expanding provision and the importance of funding. School trips, residentials and creative activities can offer experiences that young people might otherwise miss. Making them widely accessible requires resources for staffing, transport, equipment and additional support.

I also found myself thinking about who decides what enrichment should look like. Young people should help shape the activities offered to them. Their involvement can reveal barriers adults overlook, including whether an opportunity feels welcoming or relevant. Through my work at PYL, this is a question I return to: how much influence do young people have over the opportunities created for them?

Routes into good work

Youth employment was another important theme across the wider conference programme. The Work Foundation and Lancaster University’s conference roundtable briefing stressed that employment support must be accompanied by good entry-level jobs. It also highlighted employers’ responsibilities around recruitment and supporting young people with limited experience or disrupted education.

This is an important distinction. Young people can spend considerable time developing skills while still encountering vacancies demanding previous experience. I think meaningful routes into work need accessible recruitment, fair conditions and opportunities to progress. Getting someone into a role is one step; helping them sustain and develop in it matters too.

Technology added another dimension. The Education Policy Institute and AQA’s conference event on digital preparedness highlighted that frequent technology use does not automatically translate into digital competence. This connected with my notes about harnessing AI and raised questions about who will have access to the learning needed to navigate a changing workplace.

Connecting policy to everyday life

A session on social housebuilding also encouraged me to consider how housing underpins young people’s choices. A secure home can affect someone’s ability to study, accept a job or remain connected to their community. Housing therefore belongs within conversations about youth opportunity.

Across conference, I was struck by how closely these issues connect. Enrichment, employment, housing and wellbeing affect the same young person, even when discussed in separate rooms.

Attending with the Patchwork Foundation gave me space to reflect on the charity sector’s contribution to these debates. I came away wanting to keep asking how young people can shape delivery and assess its impact. For me, the test will be whether the opportunities discussed at conference become accessible in the communities where young people live.