IN THE CITY AND REGION Made Together: A healthier, greener, more vibrant and innovative region
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he difficulties of the last year for South Yorkshire are well documented, and economic indicators show that the gross value added (GVA) of the region has decreased more than the national average. Despite this hardship, the University of Sheffield – working with partners throughout Sheffield, Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham – has created some brilliant opportunities and benefits for future growth and societal impact to lead us through the region’s recovery. Over the past few years, we have talked to people across the whole region about what we can do to make things better, and whether activities can be joined together. Through our Made Together 18 YOUR UNIVERSITY | 2022/2023
programme, which we started in 2021 with the great news of the Future High Street funding for Sheffield, we have demonstrated what can be achieved through resilience and determination, no matter the obstacles.
What is Made Together?
The Made Together programme is a major University of Sheffield regeneration initiative with a dedicated team – Partnerships and Regional Engagement – and a clear brief to do four things: support our region to be healthier, greener, more vibrant and innovative. But beyond the straplines and titles, what we are trying to do is make a bigger difference to the communities
we partner with and work with them to adapt to their needs. By doing things differently and stepping out of our comfort zones, together we can provide a ‘joined-up’ response to community needs and societal issues, not only in the South Yorkshire region but beyond. There are already hundreds of people across the University who are involved in Made Together projects and they’re working with hundreds of partners – from local authorities to charities, community groups, cultural organisations as well as private businesses. All with the aim of – in one way or another – improving life in the region. In Sheffield City Centre, we’ve joined forces with the City Council and the