‘Youth is at the heart of Bradford City of Culture’

Alina Khan, vice principal of Bradford College, is familiar with the experiences of young people in the city.

“We know that Bradford is extremely diverse and historically has had a very transient community,” she said.

“For a young person living in Bradford, being around different cultures, people from different socio-economic backgrounds that have got different ways of living is just quite normal.

“I suppose that’s what makes Bradford so special.”

But she added that there were challenges that her students faced.

“We have around 12,000 students at the college and around 90% of them are from a 3-4km radius of the central campus,” she said.

“We have large levels of deprivation in the city. We know health outcomes increase the further out of Bradford you go”.

But Ms Khan said many of her students feel a sense of pride about their home city and want to stay.

“There’s something quite special and magnetic that keeps people in Bradford but there’s also a sense of responsibility and duty to making Bradford the best that it can be,” she said.

“And I think that’s felt throughout the city really.”

City of Culture aims to attract long-term investment into the winning city.

A full list of events can be found on the Bradford City of Culture website.

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