Our 25-year strategy sets out our ambitions for a generation of change.
Each year the ISMA steering committee publishes an action plan, highlighting 3 key acts of leadership that our young people tell us we should focus on in pursuit of our vision.
Each of these collective acts of leadership is achieved through pledges from ISMA partners coming together as Allies for young people.
Our 2025-26 acts of leadership are:
ACT 1: Designing and Connecting Spaces
Improving transport and access to youth-friendly spaces and activities, and co-designing community resources with young people to help them connect and thrive
Create equity of experience for our young people in rural areas and market towns in Suffolk, guaranteeing opportunities comparable to our Ipswich communities. Tackling transportation barriers by making ASSET spaces available to local community organisations looking to deliver youth-focused activities.
Create opportunities for young people to gain skills whilst renovating valued community spaces benefiting the wider community.
Continue to provide a comprehensive offer of Premier League Kicks sessions to young people delivered in local communities
ACT 2: Amplifying Youth Voice and Demonstrating Impact
Using storytelling and communication to highlight youth leadership and demonstrate the impact of the work that supports them.
Ensure Ipswich young people are represented on the Ormiston National Youth Advisory Council, and Explore funding to change systems - support match funding and partnerships
Increase consultation and involvement of young people and embed them in the decision-making process within IBC.
Establish feedback mechanisms to ensure young people feel truly listened to and can see the actions resulting from their input.
Richard Lister, ISMA Chair: Establish and lead a group to review how we report back to young people on the views and actions they have given us.
Create the Ipswich Index - an online listing and physical publication of 50 projects, people and initiatives that currently run in Ipswich that empower young people to get involved in social action, released during #iWill Week in November 2025. We will establish a comms platform called Youth Power and structural case studies will demonstrate the local YSA architecture in Ipswich.
Organise the Ipswich Speaks community event, enabling local organisations and the young people they serve to contribute to research highlighting what works to empower young people’s social mobility in a place.
Grow the Community of Practice network, bringing together over 30 organisations from across sectors to collectively champion Ipswich as a Town of Social Action, learn about emerging practice, and understand the connectivity of organisations and youth voice in Ipswich.
Engage 3 Ormiston schools in Hackathons and support Hackathons across the year.
Support our Alumni to grow the Suffolk Young Speaker of the Year Award, providing a platform for young people in Ipswich and the surrounding county to develop their speaking skills and talk about what matters to them.
ACT 3: Building Stronger Communities
Building strong communities and proactive well-being for young people through mentoring, peer support opportunities, and opportunities for collaborative action.
Establish the Men and Boys recruitment programme to increase the number of positive male role models in primary education, and partner with Aspire Black Suffolk to address structural representation.
Refresh our volunteer roadmap including 15 roles for young people
Establish a place-based ambassador programme in Ipswich - providing more opportunities for ambassadors.
Establish volunteering opportunities for young people in their communities, partnering with Volunteer It Yourself to provide opportunities for young people to gain qualifications via volunteering and social action.
Establish the Young Forest School Leader programme training young people to lead forest school provision
Work collaboratively with ISMA partners, connecting our inaugural access and participation work to the wider social mobility organisational eco system, facilitation research and data driven insight.
Build on the ASSET Arrow’s Food highlight with the ASSET Alumni, supporting them to address inequality in access to healthy, affordable food and high quality food education.
