The Power of Events, the not for profit organisation launched in 2023 to provide better understanding, respect and value for the UK Events Industry, is thrilled to announce the expansion of its UK Schools Engagement Programme into the North East with the new Leeds region.
This unique initiative is connecting thousands of young people with the dynamic world of events, providing insights, inspiration and career pathways into the industry.
In its first academic year 24-25, it engaged 106,000+ young people through 350 school visits, across East of England, Birmingham, South Coast and Hertfordshire regions – a Year 1 Report is now published: www.thepowerofevents.org/schools-engagement-programme/
With ambassador registration now live on the Schools Engagement Programme portal www.schools.thepowerofevents.org industry professionals across the UK are invited to sign up and support the next generation of talent by volunteering as little as an hour to the initiative. The first wave of Leeds school engagements will begin in the Spring of 2026 across the region, with the aim of reaching 10,000+ young people in the first year.
This programme expansion for 2026 is made possible with sponsorship from leading event industry organisations across the Leeds region:
- Leeds Hotels and Venues Association (LHVA), PLASA, Reset Connect, Royal Armouries, Sparq Live, Sterling Event Group, TAIT, The Meetings Show, XSEM
Helen Elam, Managing Director, Sparq Live commented, “We are proud to support The Power of Events. Nurturing the next generation of event professionals is one of our core beliefs, so we were delighted to be asked to sponsor this brilliant initiative.”
The events industry reaches into every corner of the economy – from healthcare and technology to sport, culture and beyond. Many of our team began their journey studying event management at university, so we know first-hand how the right encouragement can unlock incredible careers. Supporting The Power of Events programme is a chance to show young people the scale of opportunities waiting for them, and to help inspire the next generation of talent who will shape the future of this industry.” Said Dan Bardgett, Managing Director at XSEM
Rick Stainton, CEO of The Power of Events, commented: “The launch of the Leeds Hub marks a significant progression into the North East for one of our core projects, to engage and inspire young people across the UK about the diverse opportunities within the events industry. With the incredible support of our ambassadors and sponsors, we look forward to developing a lasting impact across the region.”
The Power of Events had already announced 4 new regions coming online in the autumn of 2025 – Manchester/Liverpool/Cheshire, Edinburgh, London and most recently Bath/Bristol, with a projection of engaging over 250,000 young people across the 8 live regions by the end of 2026.
To kick off the Leeds region, The Power of Events will be inviting event industry professionals to an exclusive launch reception in the city in early 2026.
This event will provide an opportunity to learn more about the programme and how to get involved as a volunteer schools ambassador, as well as network with the programme sponsors alongside the wider organisation’s supporters and partners.
