Place is…

A place-based social value programme delivered in live development contexts.

Grounded in Place Literacy.
 Structured. Repeatable. Scalable.

Young people are shaped by places that they are rarely supported to understand.

At the same time, major developments reshape neighbourhoods while Social Value activity often remains fragmented or transactional.

Place is… delivers structured workshops in live development sites and professional workplaces. It has been developed to build long-term civic capacity.

Students engage directly with practitioners and projects, developing:

  • Critical observation

  • Systems thinking

  • Confidence and articulation

  • Understanding of how places are shaped and how they can shape them

Careers awareness emerges through real-world dialogue, not abstract messaging.

For developers and contractors, the programme delivers meaningful, reportable Social Value aligned with skills, inclusion and place-based legacy.

For schools, the programme supports Gatsby Benchmarks 5 and 6, contributing to structured employer engagement and work-experience provision.

  • “We’re so proud to see young people engaging with the built environment through the ‘Place is…’ workshops. This work truly honours Stephen’s legacy and passion for architecture.”

    — Stephen Lawrence Day Foundation

  • “We have been looking for a worthwhile, relatable, initiative to support for a while, but nothing really met this requirement, until this initiative. We wanted to do something we thought relevant to what we do that would actually make a difference.”

    — Industry partner

  • “Our objective: Something related to our role and with the right group of students. Tick. In person event that was well organised. Tick. Something that makes a difference and that our staff would get something from as well. Tick to both.”

    — Industry partner

  • "I really liked the workshop as it was very inspiring to learn about something I had never thought to... I found it really interesting how ‘place’ can mean so many things for different people."

    — Student participant

Proven. Built for scale.

Place is… was piloted in 2025 with the Stephen Lawrence Day Foundation and leading industry partners across live construction and professional environments.

  • 100+ students engaged

  • 79% developed deeper understanding of how places are shaped

  • 80%+ learned something new about the places around them

The programme is being developed for national scale.

Download the programme overview

Download the full pilot findings

Project Partners