Clifton Together is an inter-agency, community initiative which aims to bring together young people, residents, NTU, schools, community organisations, public sector organisations and statutory services to bring about change in outcomes for young people in Clifton.
The vision for the initiative is to empower Clifton's youth for success through opportunity, choice, and achievement by 2035.
Following Systems Thinking methodology, partners in Clifton are working together to identify the priorities of the area and acting collectively to initiate change. Collective Impact, the approach being used to deliver the methodology, takes a systemic approach to social impact. It focuses on the relationships between organisations and the progress toward shared objectives as a mechanism for implementing system-level change.
Key priorities for Clifton Together
The following are the main areas of work that have been identified through the listening work and surveys undertaken in collaboration with community members.
Increase access to post-16 opportunities
Through working with schools, colleges, training providers, employers, and young people, we want to expand the range of education, training, and employment pathways available, to help young people transition confidently into their next stage after school.
Increase attainment
Whilst attainment levels in English at Key Stage 2 in the Clifton area are comparable to pupils in Nottingham City, we want to take a community wide approach to reducing the notable drop in attainment levels between Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 4.
Increase access to prosocial activities
Working alongside residents, services, businesses, and young people, we want to increase the number of prosocial activities and opportunities for young people in the area and reduce levels of anti-social behaviour which has become a concern for the community.
Steering Group membership
The Steering Group is made up of a range of individuals and representatives of organisations:
- Nottingham Trent University
- Nottingham City Council – Resident Development
- Housing Services & Economic Development
- Good Companions
- Farnborough Spencer Academy
- Clifton Scouts
- Clifton Councillors
- Church of England
- Nottinghamshire Police
- Community Members
- Summerwood Community Gardens
The work so far
The following sections break down the activities already taking place in the Clifton area.
- Transition work: Supporting pupils and parents through the move from primary to secondary school. Activities will be led by Farnborough Spencer Academy, Milford Primary, and NTU Psychology, focusing on smooth school transitions and strengthened school-family links.
- Clifton Stories: Delivering literacy and communication programmes through schools, libraries, and cultural events. Initiatives include staff literacy training, oracy development, and holiday provision to enhance literacy and engagement.
- Youth Advisory Panel: Establishing a youth-led panel for 12–17-year-olds to influence education and behaviour support projects. The programme will provide leadership training and opportunities for peer research, ensuring young people are central to decision-making.
- Planned development: Laying the groundwork to expand access to education, training, and employment pathways for young people in Clifton. Initial activities will focus on identifying opportunities, partners, and programmes to support post-16 engagement.
- Continued development of a system map, incorporating input from young people and partners.
- Identification of systemic levers and conditions to guide future strategy.
- Strengthening measurement frameworks and shared data to monitor collective impact.
- Partner visits, training, and community engagement activities to reinforce collaboration and long-term change.
By summer 2026, we will have advanced
- Our school transition work: Improved Year 7 transition experiences and stronger school-family links.
- The Clifton Youth Advisory Panel: Increased youth engagement, leadership, and representation in local decision-making.
- The Clifton Stories work: Enhanced literacy outcomes and pro-social behaviours through successful delivery of events and programmes.
Get in touch with CenSCE
Email CenSCE@ntu.ac.uk to find out more.