Our City, Our Choice: Making Every Voice Count

By Renae Burchell | Co-Founder, SWAG YOUTH CIC

Sometimes One Conversation Is All It Takes

On 29 October 2026, Ade Johnson, Project Manager at Coventry Methodist Central Hall, arranged a meeting between myself and Nof Azran, Community Organiser for Connecting for Good.

Within minutes of meeting Nof and hearing about Our City, Our Choice, I knew this was something I wanted SWAG to support.

Here was a project that embodied something I believe passionately in — giving the people of Coventry a voice, not simply for the sake of being heard, but for a purpose.

A voice that could influence decisions, inspire action and help shape meaningful change in the communities we call home.

Our City. Our Choice. Our Voices.

Connecting for Good's Our City, Our Choice initiative is about bringing Coventry residents together to identify the issues that matter most to them.

It's about listening to people's lived experiences, understanding the challenges facing local communities and creating opportunities for residents to have a say in what happens next.

What struck me during our conversation was how closely this approach aligned with the values behind SWAG YOUTH CIC.

We believe that people need to feel seen, heard and valued before they can truly recognise the power they have to influence change.

And that belief shouldn't stop at the doors of our youth hub.

It should extend into our neighbourhoods, our communities and across our city.

Why This Matters to SWAG

SWAG stands for Speaking With Assertive Grace.

Our mission is rooted in belonging, empowerment and helping young people develop the confidence to use their voices.

But we also recognise that young people are part of wider communities. Their experiences are shaped by the places they live, the opportunities available to them and the decisions being made around them.

Supporting Connecting for Good gives us an opportunity to contribute to something bigger than our own programmes.

It's about building relationships, encouraging participation and helping ensure that community voices are part of conversations about Coventry's future.

For me, this is what meaningful collaboration looks like — organisations and individuals coming together around a shared purpose.

Turning Conversations Into Action

As part of the initiative, Coventry residents are being invited to take part in Our City, Our Choice, sharing their views on the issues they believe deserve attention.

A community meeting is planned for 2 December 2026 at Coventry Methodist Central Hall, bringing local people together to explore priorities and consider how collective action can make a difference. And the SWAG team will be joining in solidarity!

We're looking forward to supporting Connecting for Good as the project develops and encouraging people across our networks to get involved.

Because change shouldn't simply happen to communities.

Communities should have a voice in shaping that change.

Stronger Connections. Stronger Communities.

I'm grateful to Ade for making the introduction and to Nof for sharing the vision behind Connecting for Good.

It was one of those meetings where the connection between our organisations' values became clear almost immediately.

As SWAG continues to grow, we want to build relationships with people and organisations who believe in the power of community, collaboration and giving people opportunities to make a difference.

And sometimes, all it takes to begin that journey is one conversation.

Our City. Our Choice. Our Future.

Be Heard. Be You. Be Your Future.

Renae BurchellCo-Founder | SWAG YOUTH CIC