Emergent Thinkers™

Learned Society of Wales ECR 18 March Workshop Outputs Update

It’s been a few weeks since my LSW participatory research workshop with Cllr Nick Peace and Dave Timbrell-Hill and 30+ participants in Llanelli — but the conversations are still unfolding. While a bilingual poster now offers a visual summary of key insights, this short update draws out some of the deeper textures: what was voiced, noticed, and collectively sensed in the room.

A Live Ecosystem Conversation
During the workshop, hundreds of contributions were generated — not only through post-its, but also through discussion, sketching, and reflective group work. These insights weren’t just collected; they were actively clustered and interpreted in real time, shaping the thematic framing that now appears in the update posters.

Participants worked in diverse ways — mapping disconnections, surfacing hidden strengths, and revealing patterns of duplication or fatigue. What emerged wasn’t a simple list, but a shared map of what supports — and what limits — entrepreneurial thinking in Llanelli.

Entrepreneurship, Reimagined
A defining theme was the reframing of entrepreneurship. It wasn’t seen as just business creation, but as a mindset — about agency, resilience, creativity, and meaningful contribution. Many spoke of entrepreneurship as the confidence to act, especially relevant to young people, career changers, and those facing structural barriers.

What’s Holding Us Back
Participants also named key system gaps:

• Fragmented working between schools, youth services, and enterprise actors
• Mentoring gaps across life stages
• A lack of shared infrastructure (e.g. directories, calendars, contact points)
• Over-reliance on goodwill and informal coordination

There was strong honesty around coordination fatigue and a shared desire for clearer, more sustainable ways of working together.

Bright Spots and Practical Proposals

Despite these challenges, the room was rich in ideas and action. Practical suggestions included:

• Repurposing empty spaces for youth-led micro-enterprises and short-term pop-up projects
• Creating a circular materials bank to help schools, SMEs, and local groups exchange tools, resources, and challenges
• Launching a town-wide mentoring initiative led by local businesses and community actors
• Designing a shared digital platform to include a contact directory, events calendar, and mentoring board
• Developing an ecosystem brokerage strategy to coordinate activity, improve visibility, and reduce duplication across sectors
• Commissioning case studies of youth-led and community-rooted enterprise pathways
• Embedding youth voice in the design of community and economic regeneration projects

This isn’t about claiming that all these ideas are brand new — many are already being addressed in part, or held quietly by individuals and organisations doing good work under the radar. What the workshop offered was a chance to see the system as a whole: to surface the gaps, amplify what’s already working, and explore how different parties could go further, faster — together. It was a call not to reinvent, but to reconnect.

What Comes Next
The bilingual poster outputs are now enroute to participants, with a fuller set of insights available for key stakeholders — including funders, local networks, regional and national bodies, and those exploring and positioned to support next steps. As several proposals begin to take shape, I’ll continue to reflect and share findings in ways that support practical collaboration, local policymaking, and future pilot projects.

Looking Ahead
On 19-20 June 2025, I’ll be hosting the Harmonious Heroes Showcase at Plas Llanelly Houses, spotlighting a new wave of curriculum-connected, community-rooted, stakeholder-engaged projects. Led by local young people and embedded in Llanelli’s schools, these initiatives draw on the same themes — sustainability, creativity, and regeneration — and continue the momentum sparked by March’s workshop.

With Thanks
My thanks go to Clllr Nick Pearce and David Timbrell-Hill for their generous co-facilitation and ongoing support, and to Carmarthenshire County Council for their in-kind hospitality. Deep appreciation also to the Learned Society of Wales for funding this workshop, and to everyone who took part. Your insights and care continue to shape what comes next.

Dr Felicity Healey-Benson

Linked Posts:

From Mapping to Momentum: Strengthening Llanelli’s Entrepreneurial Ecosystem