Lennina served as the Lead Researcher and Co-Design Partner in collaboration with Social Finance and the Youth Endowment Fund, working to understand and transform the Cheetham community. She engaged deeply with local stakeholders; youth groups, schools, community organisations, and local leaders, to build relationships and establish credible, locally-led governance structures. By centering the voices of children and young people, she co-developed a theory of change and strategic action plan to drive long-term impact.

Her work resulted in the ‘Hope for Cheetham’ poetic manifesto, extensive qualitative and quantitative research, and a community-driven framework for change. The initiative catalysed £1,000,000 in funding to implement actionable solutions over the next five years, with continued support from the Youth Endowment Fund and a dedicated learning partner for governance. Through a collaborative, research-led approach, Lennina helped lay the foundation for meaningful and sustained community transformation.