A new national initiative, SparkSpace, has been launched by the national charity Libraries Rising on Tuesday 27 January, 2026. This free training platform has been co-created with children and young people to support library professionals and volunteers in working confidently and inclusively with younger generations.
The training aims to engage children and young people as active partners in shaping library spaces and services, moving away from assumptions about what they need and towards designing services with their input. This approach challenges the traditional model of adults making decisions for children and young people.
In light of the decreasing availability of free community spaces for children and young people in the UK, libraries have become one of the few accessible and safe public spaces for them to spend time, connect, and feel part of their community. This is supported by recent findings from The Children’s Society Good Childhood Report, which highlights the desire for more opportunities for children and young people to be involved in their communities and have a say in decisions that affect them.
As the UK looks ahead to the National Year of Reading 2026, Libraries Rising emphasizes the importance of young people feeling valued and included in order for them to experience the joy and value of libraries.
While libraries are recognized as inclusive community spaces, SparkSpace acknowledges that a sense of welcome cannot be assumed and must be actively built through listening, trust, and shared ownership. With this in mind, the training equips library teams with the skills and understanding to create environments where young people feel valued, heard, and part of the community, rather than just visitors.
The platform, which includes short learning modules, videos, and practical activities, addresses various topics such as understanding the needs of children and young people, creating more inclusive spaces, effective communication, and engaging young people through outreach and social media.
What sets SparkSpace apart is that it has been shaped directly by children and young people themselves. Youth engagement specialists Participation People collaborated with Libraries Rising in leading the project, involving young people at every stage – from identifying the needs of library staff to providing feedback and ensuring the training reflects relevant and authentic lived experiences.
Fifteen-year-old Will, one of the young people involved in the project, found the experience empowering. “I’ve never done something like this before, but it was amazing,” he said. “As a young person, it’s great to be involved in these changes.”
The result is a practical and confidence-building platform that enables library teams to engage young people in meaningful ways and embed participation into everyday practice.
Tabitha Witherick Macaulay, Chief Executive of Libraries Rising, emphasizes the importance of co-creating the training with children and young people. She says, “If we want young people to engage with libraries, they need to feel they are spaces where they truly belong. By embedding participation into everyday practice, SparkSpace will help libraries strengthen their role at the heart of communities and create environments where young people feel genuinely included. For public spaces to work for young people, we have to work with them, not just develop spaces for them.”
Thanks to funding from The Foyle Foundation, SparkSpace is free for libraries to use, removing any cost barriers at a time when budgets are under pressure.
SparkSpace is a reflection of the evolving role of libraries, positioning them as collaborative and youth-inclusive spaces that respond to the realities young people face today.