Bristol businesses are being invited to sign up to an innovative project that aims to help close the equality gap in the city and create a fairer future for its young people.
Launching next month, OurCity2030 will support young people from low-income households in inner-city Bristol to secure meaningful careers by 2030. 
The pioneering project is being spearheaded by Queen’s Award for Enterprise-winning Bristol youth empowerment group Babbasa and Bristol City Council’s City Office, with the vision now included as a goal in Bristol’s One City Plan in pursuit of a fairer future for young people in the city.
The prestigious launch event on November 23 in The Wills Memorial Building on Queens Road will be opened by Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees and attended by business and community leaders from across the city, along with young people supported by Babbasa.
It will mark the conclusion of two years of painstaking research, planning and consultation to produce the vision, which aims to show how a city judged to be the seventh worst in the UK for inequality and with an ethnic employment gap twice the national average can move forward.
Guests will hear the research, sponsored by design, engineering and planning consultancy Arup, which examines Bristol’s equality gap and explores the industries that could provide the most opportunity for some of Bristol’s most disadvantaged young people.
The event will also be an opportunity to hear from young people who have been supported by Babbasa to access further education and meaningful employment, and the impact that has had on their lives.
A number of Bristol businesses have already pledged involvement in OurCity2030 through sponsorship of the programme, including catering equipment group Nisbet’s trust, event technology firm Pytch Studio and Silverback Films, the world-leading independent producer of natural history programmes.
More Bristol firms are being encouraged to use the vision to review their recruitment and work experience policies.
Babbasa CEO Poku Osei said: “The last two years have involved considerable consultation across Bristol business, education, community and public institutions. 
“Our launch event will evidence the issues we know exist in Bristol, issues that were exacerbated by the pandemic and are now being further exacerbated by the cost of living and energy crises.
“The time for change is now and I’m excited to share Bristol’s bold plan to help its less advantaged young people to achieve their aspirations, while supporting business to access the brilliant and diverse talent and inclusion support which is so fundamental to Bristol’s sustainable growth and success.”
Mayor Rees added: “The OurCity2030 vision and programme will serve as a key driver to achieving the goals of the One City Plan.
“A fairer future for young people in Bristol is key to future success as a city and I’m incredibly excited to see this blueprint launch. I look forward to Bristol further leading the way in driving equality as we move into 2023.”
Launch event sponsors include Bristol PR agency Purplefish, publishing group Our Media, festival and event production firm Team Love, audio visual equipment hire business SLX and creative consultancies McCann Bristol and McCann Synergy.
For more information about the OurCity2030 vision, or to attend the event, contact ourcity2030@byep.org.uk
