When an opportunity arose to help build Street League’s newly established North Scotland team, Progressions Coordinator Lizzie Morgan decided to take a chance on something completely different. Having joined the Street League Manchester team in 2025, Lizzie decided to make the move north, stepping outside her comfort zone both professionally and personally.

We caught up with Lizzie to find out what inspired her to go for the change in location, the challenges and opportunities that have come with the experience, and the support she has received from Street League along the way. Lizzie also shares some of the valuable lessons she has learned from taking a leap into the unknown, along with some great advice for anyone who may find themselves considering a similar opportunity.

Lizzie Morgan (pictured) has recently relocated from Manchester to North Scotland to help establish Street League’s presence across the region.

As Street League continues to grow its presence across North Scotland, something we explore in more detail with Lizzie throughout this article, we’re also delighted to announce that Liam O’Kane will be relocating from our East Scotland team, to take on the role of Operations Manager for North Scotland. Liam will play a key role in supporting the team and building on the strong foundations established since the programme launched earlier this year.

Can you share your background / experience at Street League so far?

I started my Street League journey as a Progressions Coordinator, joining the Manchester team back in June 2025. What initially drew me to Street League was my interest in working with young people. I had volunteered at a high school and I really enjoyed it. That experience opened my eyes to how much I wanted to work in this space. When I started looking into different youth charities, I came across Street League and was really inspired by their approach to supporting young people. I liked the focus on helping young people overcome barriers and reach their potential, and it felt like an organisation I could genuinely see myself being part of.

What initially attracted you to the opportunity in North Scotland?

I’m originally from Liverpool, but I went to university in Manchester over ten years ago and ended up staying there after graduating to work. I was very settled in Manchester and really loved the team, so moving to North Scotland was not something I had been actively looking for.

When the opportunity came up it was quite unexpected. I think what initially appealed to me was how unexpected it all was. It wasn’t something I had planned, but the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to explore it. It felt like one of those opportunities that you don’t necessarily go looking for, but when it presents itself, you have to ask yourself, “Why not?”

Had you ever considered relocating for work before this opportunity came up?

I’ve always been quite open-minded about where I might end up, and I’ve always liked the idea of living abroad or experiencing somewhere completely different. That said, if this particular opportunity hadn’t come up, I don’t think I would have simply packed up and moved somewhere new.

As adventurous as I am, I’m also a real homebird. What made this opportunity different was that I wasn’t starting a completely new role from scratch. I already worked at Street League, I had people within the organisation who I knew and trusted, and I knew I would have that support system around me.

I also came up and met the team before making a decision, which was really important to me. I have to give Street League a lot of credit for allowing me to do that. It gave me the chance to test the waters and get a feel for the team and the area before committing. I think that made the decision much easier because I could trust my instincts. If I had come up and it didn’t feel right, I would have known that it simply wasn’t the right time.

So, to answer the question honestly, I’m not sure I would ever have made this move if it hadn’t been work-related. The opportunity gave me the push to do something I probably wouldn’t have done otherwise

What has your experience been like launching a new team and establishing the Street League brand in a completely new area?

It has been a challenge, but it’s one I knew I was taking on when I moved up here. I had the luxury of starting my Street League journey in Manchester, where the programme was already well established, so North Scotland is different in that respect.

The programme launched earlier this year, so we’re still establishing ourselves within the community, but it just takes persistence and relationship building to get people to understand what we do and how we can support them.

It’s also been a really valuable learning experience as the barriers facing young people are quite different here; one of them being public transport. A lot of the young people we work with don’t drive or have access to a car, and they can be living in small, rural villages where buses might only run every few hours. That can make accessing opportunities, education, employment, or even our sessions much more difficult for them.

It’s been interesting to learn about those different demographics and understand how Street League can adapt its approach to support young people regardless of where they live or the barriers they face. For me, that has been one of the biggest benefits professionally. I’ve had the opportunity to work with a completely different group of young people, understand a new set of challenges and think differently about how we can overcome them. It’s pushed me outside of my comfort zone, but it’s also helped me develop a lot both personally and professionally.

Was there anything about moving that you found particularly challenging?

One of the biggest challenges was building a social life outside of work. I initially procrastinated about putting myself out there and making new friends, although I was lucky to have Carys and Jake from the team who were really welcoming and invited me out.

I realised that if I didn’t actively make the effort to meet people and try new things, it wasn’t going to happen on its own. I’ve since joined a women’s football team, despite not being a footballer, as I wanted to do something active and female focused.

The move has definitely pushed me outside of my comfort zone and has encouraged me to do things I probably wouldn’t have done if I’d stayed at home. Building those connections has been important, particularly with the darker winter months approaching, as I want to have people around me who I can meet for a coffee, go for a walk with, or simply lean on outside of work.

Have you felt supported during the relocation process?

There has been a great deal of support from Street League throughout my relocation, which has helped make the entire process much smoother. In addition, there has been fantastic support from teams across Street League, with colleagues from across the UK travelling to North Scotland to support us. This has provided not only additional resources, but also valuable opportunities for newer staff to shadow and learn from more experienced colleagues. This support has been invaluable in helping us develop our knowledge, build confidence, and gain valuable experience as a team.

On a personal level, I’ve also found the wider Street League culture really supportive. I feel comfortable reaching out to people across the organisation when I need advice or simply someone to talk things through with. Even people I haven’t met in person have been willing to make time for me, which I think is a real testament to the culture at Street League.

Lizzie’s journey from Manchester to North Scotland highlights how stepping outside your comfort zone can open the door to new experiences, personal growth and exciting career opportunities.

At Street League, staff are encouraged to take on new challenges, develop their skills and progress within the organisation, with support from colleagues and opportunities for internal progression. As Lizzie and the North Scotland team continue to grow, her journey is a great example of how investing in people and giving them the opportunity to step up can create positive change both for our staff, and the young people and communities we support.

From Manchester to North Scotland: Lizzie’s Street League Journey

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