Abingdon summit aims to create ‘lasting change’ for youth

The event on Thursday, June 5, brings together more than 100 attendees, including young people, employers, local councillors, and charities at Sophos, Abingdon to help shape a future youth strategy for the town.

Hosted by The Abingdon Bridge, the summit features interactive workshops, networking sessions, and panel discussions focused on strengthening youth support.

Gary Hibbins, CEO of The Abingdon Bridge, said: “Over the last decade, we have worked hard to build meaningful, trusted relationships with a generation of young people.

“Because of those relationships, we now have a real opportunity to work alongside young people to shape an ambitious strategy for Abingdon and the surrounding areas.”

The event is backed by Oxfordshire County Council and supported through the Local Youth Transformation Partnership.

A highlight of the summit will be the presentation of findings from a youth questionnaire, which has gathered more than 500 responses.

Mr Hibbins said: “Young people are not just our future – they are our now.

“This summit must be more than a conversation; it must be a call to action and the start of real change.”

He added: “We are incredibly grateful to Oxfordshire County Council for supporting this work through the Local Youth Transformation Partnership and helping make this possible.”

The summit seeks to identify practical ways to strengthen support for young people in Abingdon and develop a coordinated, youth-led approach to future services.