FOREWORD
This is a vitally important report which has had a huge impact on the way I look at
politics and public life. It deserves to be read by educators, public servants, politicians
and anyone who cares about the direction of our country.
For me the origin of this work dates back five years - to the campaigns I started for
community safety and regeneration in Hodge Hill. Quite simply, the more community
meetings I ran the more I realised that we had to listen far harder to our young people -
what they thought, what they needed, where they wanted to go.
That's what triggered a pioneering series of youth conferences across my constituency in
2006 that told us something that stunned me. Our young peoples' top priority for
investment was 'learning a new skill'. Yet our constituency was in the bottom 5pc for
sending youngsters to university.
We persuaded the University of Birmingham to study the problem in depth. They
confirmed there was no shortage of aspiration of talent. But our young people confronted
a 'power failure'; they had no-one to help deliver sufficient servings of inspiration,
steadiness and sheer savoir faire to make it on and up in life.
When I met the Archbishop of Birmingham, he led me to the John Templeton Foundation.
Words cannot express the gratitude I feel to Prof James Arthur and his team and the
heads of Hodge Hill's schools, who have over the last 2 years researched and written this
vital report.
Our agenda for change in Hodge Hill - Hodge Hill 2020 - now brings together agencies
and residents to fight for a different place to live. A better place. Where citizens can
genuinely realise their potential.
When we launched the programme we asked our youngsters to tell us where they'd like to
be in 11 years time. We got a great mix; footballers, beauticians, police-officers, teachers,
doctors, scientists, lawyers. The diversity of ambition was a dazzling and beautiful as the
community.
This report has helped in a real way tell us how we as a community and a country turn
those dreams into reality.
Rt Hon Liam Byrne
Chief Secretary to the Treasury
MP for Hodge Hill, Birmingham