ALMOST 120 delegates attended The Petty Pool Trust’s Where Possible Happens 2026 conference, calling for stronger partnerships and more opportunities for young people.
Employers, educators, policymakers and young people came together at Chester Racecourse on Thursday 15 October to explore practical solutions to one of the region’s most pressing challenges: supporting young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET).
Hosted by Sandiway-based charity The Petty Pool Trust, Where Possible Happens 2026: Leading the Region’s Response to the National NEET Crisis focused on how earlier intervention, inclusive employment and greater collaboration between organisations could help more young people access the opportunities they deserve.
The conference took place against a backdrop of Office for National Statistics estimates that 981,000 young people aged 16–24 in the UK were not in education, employment or training between April and June 2026. Young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) face additional barriers to accessing education and employment, making inclusive and individually tailored support particularly important.
Sally Garratt, Chief Executive Officer of The Petty Pool Trust, said:
“We brought people together because we know that no single organisation can solve this challenge alone. What was so encouraging was the collective determination in the room to make a difference.
“We heard powerful stories, shared ideas and explored what needs to change to ensure more young people have access to the opportunities they deserve.
“But the real measure of success will be what happens next. We want the conversations and connections made at this conference to lead to meaningful action, stronger partnerships and more opportunities for young people across our region.”
Putting young people’s voices at the heart of the conversation
A key focus of the conference was ensuring that young people themselves were part of the discussion, rather than simply the subject of it.
Among the highlights was a conversation between Eve Harrisson, founder of Let’s Make A Difference, and Kathryn Porter, Head of Alternative Education at Petty Pool College, exploring experiences of education, disengagement and why listening to young people is essential when shaping the support and opportunities available to them.
The importance of inclusion also resonated with Zilfi Karakor, a University of Chester student who attended the conference.
Zilfi said:
“The conference was a fantastic reminder that inclusion goes beyond simply providing opportunities; it’s about recognising individual potential, removing barriers and ensuring every young person has a genuine chance to succeed. Seeing so many professionals committed to making a difference was both inspiring and encouraging.”
The conference also provided a practical opportunity for seven Petty Pool learners, who worked alongside the catering team at Chester Racecourse. While delegates discussed the importance of creating meaningful opportunities for young people, the learners were putting their skills into practice and gaining valuable hands-on experience.
Bringing different perspectives together
Dan Price opened the conference by setting out the scale of the NEET challenge, both nationally and across the region, highlighting the importance of working together to improve opportunities for young people.
Panel discussions brought together representatives from education, business, research and the voluntary sector to examine how earlier intervention can help prevent disengagement and how employers can create more accessible routes into the workplace.
Contributors included representatives from the University of Chester, Chester Zoo, Storyhouse, The Dome Youth Zone, WeMindTheGap and Youth Employment UK, alongside Petty Pool’s own education and employment specialists.
Headline speaker Oly Newton, founder of LightsOnXP, brought a powerful personal perspective to the conference. A lived-experience speaker and mental health advocate who has shared his story with more than 100,000 people worldwide, Oly drew on his own experiences to highlight the importance of understanding, early support and ensuring young people feel heard, valued and able to reach their potential.
Turning conversations into opportunities
Discussions throughout the conference challenged assumptions about young people who become disengaged, highlighting the importance of recognising individual strengths and aspirations rather than focusing solely on the barriers they face.
For employers, a recurring theme was the difference that more inclusive recruitment practices, work placements and stronger partnerships with education providers could make in opening doors for young people.
Sally added:
“Behind every NEET statistic is a young person with their own experiences, strengths and ambitions. We need to move away from focusing solely on the barriers they face and start asking what we can do differently to help them succeed.
“For employers, that might mean offering work experience, mentoring or taking a more inclusive approach to recruitment. For educators and public services, it means working together to identify challenges earlier and creating pathways that work for individual young people.
“Our message is simple: everyone has a part to play. The challenge now is to turn the ideas and enthusiasm from the day into lasting opportunities for young people.”
Petty Pool hopes the connections made through Where Possible Happens 2026 will strengthen collaboration across Cheshire and the wider region, encouraging employers, educators and public services to work together to create more inclusive pathways into education, training and employment.
The charity also thanked the University of Chester, Cheshire & Warrington Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP), Spectra Media and NXTWEB Agency for their sponsorship and support in making the event possible.
