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In 1998, I completed my Master’s degree in graphic design. At that stage, I had no idea that one piece of academic work would later open the door to one of the most important projects of my early career. But life around that time was far from straightforward. Shortly after finishing my Masters, my mum passed away at just 52 years old. I was 25. That period changed everything. Like many people starting out, I moved into employment, first taking a graphic design role for a year

On 5 January 2011 , my studio had an unusual visitor. As part of an official Midlands business visit, then Prime Minister David Cameron came to the LCB Depot in Leicester, where my design studio, Innersmile, was based at the time. He was meeting a handful of creative businesses working in the region. I was running Innersmile with three staff in a large open studio, busy delivering communication projects for young people, public sector organisations and social programmes acros

When an old pub in Sheffield was purchased by Sheffield City Council for £1, the challenge was not simply to refurbish a building, it was to create a space young people would genuinely want to spend time in. The starting point was simple : ask them what they wanted. Instead of adults deciding the layout, young people shaped the brief themselves. Their ideas were ambitious, imaginative and clear. They wanted a gym, café, computer area, chill-out zones, live performance space

A youth centre starts influencing behaviour before any conversation begins. Before staff speak, before activities start, before trust is built, the room is already sending signals. Young people instantly read whether a space feels safe, respected, creative or forgotten. That first feeling matters more than many people realise. Environment Shapes Emotional Response A room that feels cold or overly functional can create distance. A room that feels considered and relevant can l