Who We Are 👥
We bring together leaders in placemaking, creativity and community to build a more inclusive future for young people
Who We Are
Joe Barratt
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
As Executive Director for Place For Youth, Joe brings over a decade of place-based delivery experience, including as part of the government’s High Streets Task Force (2019–2024), and holds an MSc in Place Management & Leadership from Manchester Metropolitan University.
Joe is a nationally recognised social entrepreneur committed to putting young people at the heart of placemaking which includes being the co-founder of The Teenage Market® — an award-winning initiative that gives young people a free platform to showcase their creative talents and build confidence — which has supported thousands of young people to make over £500,000 across hundreds of events since 2012.
Scarlet Barratt
NATIONAL EVENTS CO-ORDINATOR
As National Events Co-Ordinator, Scarlet designs and delivers engaging, high-impact events that put young people centre stage in town and city centres.
With a strong background in event production and youth engagement, Scarlet creates inclusive spaces where young people can express themselves, develop confidence and feel a sense of belonging. Her hands-on approach and attention to detail ensures that every event is delivered to the highest standard while amplifying the talents of the next generation.
Our Youth Board
We’re currently recruiting young people to help shape the future of Place For Youth!
Youth Board members will be paired with a Board member and receive £200 per year
in recognition of their contributions.
Our Board
Andrea George
CHAIR, BOARD MEMBER
Andrea is a freelance business advisor, having previously worked for property company Bruntwood as Director of Town Centres and Consumer Brands.
In this role, Andrea was responsible for overseeing the company’s placemaking strategy, ensuring their ecosystems were optimised for long-term prosperity.
She has an extensive background in real estate, land management and urban regeneration, and has held senior positions at Tushingham Moore & Knight Frank.
Matt Colledge
BOARD MEMBER
Matt served as Executive Director of the government’s High Streets Task Force, which was established to support over 150 towns and cities across England.
He has also served as the Leader of Trafford Council, where he was instrumental in the regeneration of Altrincham.
He created ‘Altrincham Forward,’ an innovative public-private-community partnership that significantly reduced the town’s vacancy rate and earned it the title of High Street of the Year in 2018.
Amy Lewis
BOARD MEMBER
Amy works as a Place Consultant for CT Consults and is dedicated to using arts and culture as catalysts for regeneration, placemaking and audience development.
She loves to think creatively and has worked for many of the cultural organisations around the North West, from stewarding events in a high-vis to securing multi-million pound grants for delivery of capital projects
Amy uses her tenacity, perceptivity and experience to help destinations understand how culture can be used as a tool to achieve their ambitions.
John Quinton-Barber
BOARD MEMBER
John is Executive Chairman and Partnerships Director of Social, a a purpose-driven communications agency who work to support the public and private sector.
John is a versatile communicator and was named ‘Business Leader of the Year’ for Manchester in 2021.
He is passionate about the placemaking agenda, having led major consultations across the UK, and is committed to helping Place for Youth succeed.
Diane Cunningham
BOARD MEMBER
Diane works in places and spaces across the UK as The Assembly Line, a high streets focused consultancy that connects places and businesses with the people around them.
Her experience includes town centre activation, markets, commercial and operational models and engagement work with corporates, small businesses and traders.
Diane served as a High Streets Task Force Expert and was appointed to the inaugural London Markets Board. She sits on the steering committee for the Policy Liaison Group for Housing Delivery & Growth Boosting Britain’s High Streets campaign.
Tom Parson
BOARD MEMBER
Tom is an educator, musician and web developer who runs Manchester-based innovation consultancy Big Echo.
Big Echo helps businesses to cultivate innovative people, processes and platforms that drive growth.
Tom supports Place for Youth on our digital strategy, process automation and user experience.
Emma James
BOARD MEMBER
Emma is an experienced place strategist, specialising in creating vibrant, inclusive, and sustainable places through her consultancy Places Made.
She has worked with local authorities, developers, and community organisations to deliver impactful projects that enhance towns, cities, and high streets.
Her expertise lies in place visioning, stakeholder collaboration, and strategies that celebrate local identity while driving economic growth.
Luca Shaw
BOARD MEMBER
Luca is a creative practitioner, visual artist and curator of the 1853 studios, which provides affordable work and gallery space to artists in Oldham.
As an artist, Luca’s work extends across multiple creative disciplines, including illustration, animation and theatre production.
She was one of the founding members of the Underbanks Studios, an all-female arts collective, having started out on her journey as one of the very first traders The Teenage Market® supported in Stockport, aged 15.