Agenda item

This item will include the following:-

- Youth Inclusion in the Castle Ward – a short outline of services in the Ward.

- Citizens Eye – details will be available about this community reporter scheme for young people.

- Summer Play-schemes 2010 – details will be provided.

- Voluntary Action Leicester - Engaging young people with Community Meetings

Councillor Kitterick introduced this item, noting that it came about as a result of enquiries by local residents about what services were available for young people in the ward. 

Danielle Williams, Strategic Lead for Participation at Leicester City Council gave the meeting a brief outline of the work that she undertook and the ways in which young people could engage in the decision making process about matters which affected them. This included:

-          User groups at each youth centre

-          Young People’s Council

-          A project which involved young people who were looking to ‘youth proof’ meetings such as this one to ensure they were accessible to them.

-          The Youth Parliament which has local representatives.

-          The Children’s Council

-          The Advisory Boards for the forthcoming Integrated Service Hubs – venues where a range of services would be provided for young people.

Danielle said that people were welcome to contact her about any of these or other areas where young people could become involved in the decision making process in areas which affected them.

Fiona Bedford, Area Youth Work Manager gave the meeting some details about the numbers of staff and types of facilities which were available to support young people’s activities in the Ward.

Stacey Beazer, Senior Youth Support Worker gave details of the dance related activities which she was involved in providing. This included:

-          Dance classes,

-          Choreograph work,

-          Dance for deaf young people

-          ‘Night Owl’ sessions.

An event at the Athena venue would be taking place on the 26 August where young people could showcase their skills.

Sarah Vernon, from the Inclusion Project gave details of the wide timetable of events that were taking place at the Watershed. She offered to provide details of these to enable them to be disseminated.

Dominic McCarthy, Music specialist outlined the music facilities available at the Watershed and the different types of sessions provided such as those aimed at young people with mental health difficulties; those not in employment education or training; and those who were excluded. The aim of the sessions was to improve self esteem and help develop useful career skills, and to work towards special events such as when a showcase took place with professional session musicians.  Developing websites for promoting music was also undertaken.

Councillor Senior raised a query about how young people could find out about these activities. It was noted that promotion of them took place in schools, but also the Activities 4 You website contained details of all of the available activities. It was agreed to include details of the timetable for the Watershed with the minutes.

One of the young people who took part in the Dynamise dance group informed the meeting about the activities which she took part in. She praised the wide variety of facilities and sessions which were available, noting that there was strong local interest. She did feel however that funding for singing and dance activities could be a problem.

Councillor Senior asked about how these services could be better promoted to encourage more young people to become involved. Dominic McCarthy commented that the use of social media, such as Facebook and Twitter should be further explored.

Citizens Eye

John Coster, a freelance journalist gave the meeting details about the Citizens Eye news agency which provided a range of opportunities for citizen reporters from a wide range of sectors of society.  In particular young people produced ‘The Wave’ publication which was a monthly pullout in the Leicester Mercury. He also gave details of The Soar free magazine which young people were also involved in producing.  He also spoke of efforts to recruit 2012 youth reporters to report on local events and to tie it in with the Olympics. Efforts were also being made to involve young people in other activities such as patchwalks and community meetings to report on them.

John further noted that there were meetings every Tuesday morning and evening in the Kona Blue coffee house in the Highcross where people interested could come along and find out what opportunities were available.

John was asked about how he felt that more young people could become involved in Citizen media activities. He felt that engaging with schools & colleges and encouraging them to have their own internal magazine which young people produced. He felt that it was important, not just to listen to young people, but to make sure that they were fully involved.

Trisha Reynolds – Voluntary Action Leicester

Trisha Reynolds outlined for the meeting, details of the project she was heading up, aimed at 16- 25 year olds which sought to get them more involved in matters which affected them. She was currently undertaking a pilot exercise where young people were attending Community Meetings and looking at them from a young people’s perspective, whether they addressed their needs and made them welcome.

Trisha was asked about what she thought could be done to get young people better engaged. She felt that it was about giving young people a real role to play, giving them specific tasks to undertake as part of any engagement.