Westminster Citizens Assembly is an evening led by students and community leaders diving into how we can build a fairer, more inclusive borough. 

On March 26th, campaign teams including Youth Opportunities, Thames Water, Refugees & Asylum Seeker Justice shared their successes, learnings and next steps to an audience of local businesses and leaders.

Hear more about the event from lead organiser and City of Westminster College Student’s Union President, Beheshta Bakhtari:

This assembly was coordinated by our students in collaboration with Citizens UK and University of Westminster bringing together key partners including Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, King’s College London, ZSL London Zoo, alongside senior stakeholders and local leadership such as Counsellor Adam Hug from Westminster Council, further positioning City of Westminster College at the centre of opportunity-building within Westminster.

As part of our Youth Opportunities campaign, we increased the number of in-person work experience placements for this year at Imperial College and have opened pathways for health and life science-based work experience at ZSL London Zoo. We have also secured support from Kings College London to support student progression to university.

We are also holding a dedicated employers’ roundtable in May to ensure that the Assembly is not a standalone event, but the beginning of a structured and ongoing programme of engagement.

Beyond Youth Opportunities, the Assembly also showcased the wider work of Westminster Citizens, including the Living Wage, Refugee and Asylum Seeker Justice, and Thames Water campaigns. These provided a broader context of civic engagement and demonstrated the depth of social impact our students are contributing to. While these campaigns extend beyond the college, our students played an active role in supporting and amplifying these issues and look forward to building on this. 

Thank you to UCG Enrichment and Student Support in making this possible. The confidence and leadership demonstrated by our students are a direct reflection of the opportunities they are given beyond the classroom.

Overall, the Assembly demonstrated the power of student-led organising. We were able to bring together major institutions, facilitate high-level discussions, and secure concrete commitments that will directly support our students’ futures. It also positioned City of Westminster College and the Student Union as proactive and influential partners within the wider Westminster community.

Looking ahead, our focus will be on delivering these commitments, strengthening partnerships, and preparing for the next phase of this work, including the May roundtable and our longer-term ambition to host a larger Citizens Assembly next year with even greater employer engagement.

Beheshta Bakhtari