When working with young people you witness, what I like to think as "little miracles", the change and development of a young person, who is growing in front of your very eyes. I am lucky enough through the work that I’m apart of, to experience our cities young people turning into the future of our city, and it is for this reason that I am passionate that our young people are supported to be actively involved in working alongside the adults and decision makers of the city.
Young reporters getting ready for Play day
For many of our cities young people national politics is something they are not interested in, because in their world it all seems to be done so far away and out of their control. But what if we excite young people from an early age, about being able to effect change locally, supporting them to do things such as clean-ups, local campaigns, friendship groups, activity and social groups, that feed into both the Children's Council & Young People's Council. This would help us to energise a new generation of informed, involved community activists who want to have a say and play a more active role in the way decisions are made about issues that are important to them. I always think that if a young person i work with, who is 7 years old now, turns out to vote when they turn 18 then i have done my job.
Why? Because her parents and grandparents have never voted. I have a picture in my office that read’s "The most valuable resource in any country is it's children" …. this works for cities too.
A Wot Box
What if young people attended councillors surgeries on a regularly basis and attended Ward meetings to present news bulletins about issues that are important to young people. What if young people could help to inform the children's workforce professional’s and work alongside adults in a professional way it produce training tools. What if young people plan and delivery round table discussion events with professionals to talk about issues that are real to them. What if young people are becoming reporters and writing for the countries only newspaper, written, edited and sourced by young people?
Well look no further; over the last week I have witnessed so many miracles I have on several occasions had to pinch myself.
I have been working on the ‘Two halves One Whole’ project (part of Family Action) and we had our first meeting to look at the idea of developing a steering group for them. On our first meeting the young people worked on designing the projects leaflet and also worked on a funding bid.
Members of Two Halves One Whole steering group
They are working towards putting together a training workshop for professionals around working with young people from mixed heritage backgrounds. They were just brilliant to work with. Then later on in the week the young people had the chance to be young reporters at Action for Children's Diversity Day event, where they interviewed and captured images of the event, (Check out Maria's & Chloe's coverage of the event at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/citizenseye/sets/72157625066814710/
During Local Democracy week there were a number of events that took place across the city as part of Leicester Speaks. Leicester Children's Council planned and delivered their own round table event that saw them take the main issues out of their recent consultation (We All Matter) WAM Report.
Discussions at the round table event
Professionals were invited to spend the morning with around 30 young people and the event was a fantastic success, with lots of important thoughts and ideas being shared and taken away by professionals.
Young people taking part in the round table event at Phoenix Square
I am very proud to co manage the Children's Council and they have done some fantastic work over the last 1.5 years and are all a credit to themselves and Leicester.
The young people have been working really hard on the October edition of WAVE which is out today with some fantastic articles.
Our very own Will Sturgess received a letter from the Queen.
Front Page of Octobers leicester WAVE
I am currently working on organising the Leicester WAVE AWARDS which are going to be taking place on the 13th December at the Central Lending Library.
Will with his letter from the Queen
It will be a great time to celebrate the fantastic work our cities young people have contributed to the newspaper! They have all been amazing - every one of them.
Finally, members of the advisory board have been working with strategic leads and professionals from the police and health, scriptwriters and a filmmaker to develop a series of short training films to help with the induction and personal development of the
Young people working alongside professionals
Children's Workforce. The young people took part in workshops to develop short scripts that are due to be filmed over the next 2 month. These short films will be part of the development of a toolkit designed by young people.
Phew all in all another clear example of the little miracles in action and the work they are doing all across our city!
Well done everyone, you truly are inspirational to us all keep up the great work!
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