The project

Blaenavon Industrial Landscape World Heritage Site tells the story of a unique and glorious community’s industrial history. With Blaenavon hosting the prestigious 2015 World Heritage UNESCO Youth Summit we identified this as the perfect opportunity to launch a project to give young people a voice in the decisions that affect their heritage within their communities. We have been awarded grant funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund to recruit and train young people to become World Heritage Ambassadors for their communities to preserve the identity and the integrity of our World Heritage Site in Blaenavon, the UK and around the World.

Blaenavon’s heritage is of more than just local or national importance, it belongs to the World! This project aims to help young people not only understand but have an active role and voice in Blaenavon World Heritage Site and how it influences community. This project will provide a foundation to learn new skills, experience new things and to empower young people to take a leading role future preservation of their World Heritage Site.

A series of accredited fun training days, run by the Blaenavon World Heritage Partnership will engage young people, age 13-25 about the Outstanding Universal Value of Blaenavon World Heritage Site and how it is, and can be, managed.

Young people will sit on key and influential groups in order to have an active influence over the decisions that are made in their communities. There will be training for heritage organisations in engaging with young people and allowing them influence. The young people will also be supported to deliver events themselves to other groups of young people, and visitors to the area. The young people, alongside the project board, will finally create a bespoke qualification to go to other World Heritage Sites, across the UK, to create a network of Youth Ambassadors.

We are looking for young people aged between 13-25 who want to make a difference in their communities; are passionate about history and heritage, and who want to help adults to understand and listen to a youth perspective in the decisions that are made as well as enjoying positive life experiences that will improve employment prospects.

For all queries contact dan.oliver@torfaen.gov.uk