Today sees the launch of the Pennywell Fellowship – a bold new initiative designed to transform opportunities for young people in Sunderland. Alongside this, a new blueprint has been published today, setting out how other communities across the country can adopt this pioneering model of civic collaboration. 

Backed by the Laidlaw Foundation and developed in partnership with Public First, the Fellowship is the first initiative of its kind in England. Public First has worked closely with local schools, employers, charities and civic institutions to co-design both the structure of the Fellowship and the blueprint that will allow its lessons to be shared nationally. 

At its heart are six schools – Academy 360, Christ’s College, St Anne’s Roman Catholic Primary, North View Academy, South Hylton Academy and Highfield Academy – working together as one. Around them stands an extraordinary coalition of partners: Sunderland Council, the University of Sunderland, the NHS, major employers including Nissan and Barclays, and local charities and organisations like the Foundation of Light. 

Together, they will deliver practical action across three core areas: 

• Employment: connecting young people with Sunderland’s growth sectors, from advanced manufacturing to tech and health; 

• Enrichment: ensuring every child can access cultural, sporting and personal development opportunities; and 

• Engagement: strengthening ties between schools, families and communities to boost attendance and ensure no child is left behind. 

For Public First, the Fellowship is a powerful demonstration of how place-based collaboration can tackle entrenched challenges and unlock opportunity. By helping schools, employers and civic institutions act as one, it provides a model that is both practical for Pennywell and scalable across the country. 

The Pennywell Fellowship and its blueprint represent a clear statement of intent: that schools cannot, and should not, carry these challenges alone. In Pennywell, the community is stepping up together to build a brighter future for its young people – and now, with the blueprint published, there is a pathway for others to follow. 

More information about the Fellowship can be found here.