Here in Enfield, where families work hard despite rising pressures, a renewed partnership is forming to support the life chances of our children and young people. The Enfield Youth & Community Alliance officially relaunches in February — and for many in the borough, it arrives at exactly the right moment.
Recent data from Trust for London shows the scale of the challenge. Enfield has one of the highest child poverty rates in London, alongside growing inequality and increased financial strain on families. Many young people face barriers long before they enter adulthood, and support networks across the community are under pressure. It is within this context that the Alliance steps forward with a clearer, stronger and more connected vision.
The new Alliance builds on work started in 2023 through the Professional Partners Forum, founded by the Edmonton Community Partnership (ECP) and Youth & Community Connexions (NYCC). What began as a way for schools, youth organisations, voluntary groups and local services to share insight and coordinate support has grown into a recognised model of collaboration. Over time, one message became clear: when Enfield’s organisations work together, families are better connected and young people access opportunities they might otherwise miss.
The refreshed Alliance now expands this work further through a full partnership between LocalMotion Enfield, ECP and NYCC. LocalMotion joins the partnership because it shares the same approach championed by ECP and NYCC — a commitment to long-term, community-led change and tackling root causes rather than symptoms. Together, the partners are united in one goal: strengthening life chances by addressing the structural issues that affect children, young people and families across the borough.
The Alliance’s work is organised around four shared pillars — Health & Wellbeing; Children, Youth & Education; Work, Business & Training; and Language, Culture & Community. These pillars reflect a simple truth in Enfield: challenges are interlinked, and no single organisation can address them alone. By aligning efforts, the Alliance intends to reduce duplication, strengthen local services and unite partners around a common mission.
Another core focus is helping groups navigate funding barriers, which many local organisations identify as one of the biggest obstacles to sustained support. Working collectively gives Edmonton a stronger voice and a better chance of securing resources for the communities that need them most.
The official launch takes place on Tuesday 10th February, 6pm–8pm at NYCC in Edmonton Green, and is open to residents, parents, schools, youth workers, community groups and anyone who wants to support Enfield’s next generation. The event will outline the Alliance’s priorities and invite the community to help shape its future direction.
In a borough facing increasing challenges, the message behind the Alliance is clear: Enfield’s young people deserve dignity, fairness and a hopeful future — and the only way to secure it is by working together.
Shae Eccleston (Curate Your Genius), Trevor Blackman (Edmonton Community Partnership), Jim Wasswa (LocalMotion Enfield), Chris McCoy (NYCC) Peaches (Enfield Youth and Community Alliance) make up the Working Group of the Enfield Youth and Community Alliance. This Article was published in the Enfield Dispatch in February 2026
Photography by Kai Images