Young voices to be at the heart of policymaking as government breaks down barriers to opportunity through Plan for Change
- Government launches national listening exercise to let young people have their say on support services, facilities and opportunities they need outside the school gates
- Through youth engagement charity My Life My Say and the #iwill Movement young people will be able to engage with Government both in-person and online.
Young people across the country will be able to have their say on decisions that affect their lives as the Government launches one of the most ambitious listening exercises in a generation today.
Ahead of the landmark National Youth Strategy, those aged 10-21 years old, and up to 25 years old for those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), will be asked to take part in a survey to hear what support services, facilities and opportunities they need outside the school gates to benefit their lives and futures.
Young people will be able to submit their views on a range of topics including what issues matter to them in their local area, what services they think should be available to young people, and how money should be spent in their area - delivering on the government's Plan for Change to spread opportunity across the country.
Input will be collected by the Government in a range of ways including via an online survey, plus physical events including peer led focus groups known as 'Democracy Cafes', and workshop sessions so young people can offer views in their own words. The survey is now open here , and will close on 16 April.
This period of consultation will inform the Government's new National Youth Strategy, previously announced by the Culture Secretary , designed to prioritise delivering better coordinated youth services and policy at a local, regional and national level. It will make sure decision-making moves away from a one-size-fits all approach, handing power back to young people and their communities, and rebuilding a thriving and sustainable sector. This will help deliver on the government's missions, spreading opportunities, making our streets safer and taking pressure off health services.
Culture Secretary, Lisa Nandy said:
We are handing power back to young people and their communities, giving them a genuine opportunity to help make the policies that affect their lives.
We want to hear from young people directly through one of the most ambitious listening exercises for a generation - Today's Youth, Tomorrow's Nation.
We are providing young people with a genuine voice, delivering on our Plan for Change and creating opportunities in every part of the country.
Minister for Civil Society, Stephanie Peacock said:
We are breaking down the barriers to opportunity that young people face and giving them the chance to have their say - on what they want from the Government and how public policies can work for them.
I encourage all young people to fill in the survey and tell us what you think so you can help shape a brighter future for you and your generation."
To ensure that young people's voices are at the heart of the process throughout, the Government has appointed 13 young people to form a Youth Advisory Group (YAG). Members span multiple sectors and have experience across key areas including advocacy, violence prevention, social mobility and mental health. They include Jhemar Jones (member of London's Violence Reduction Unit Young People's Action Group), Yahye Abdi (Youth Development Coordinator with the Hope Collective) and Zafeera Akarim (Member of Youth Parliament).
An Expert Advisory Group (EAG) will sit alongside the YAG to help guide the national conversation with young people, providing expertise and challenging thinking throughout the National Youth's Strategy development. The group is made up of 14 experts from a variety of sectors including Isa Guha (sports presenter and founder of Cricket charity championing women and girls, Take Her Lead), Alex Holmes OBE (Deputy CEO at The Diana Award), and Paul Lindley OBE (founder of Ella's Kitchen), among other highly experienced voices.
Young people will also be able to take part in 'Hackathon' events, collaborating with others alongside youth engagement experts and professional researchers to try and solve some of the most pressing issues they're facing. Over the past few weeks, young people have been meeting at peer-led focus groups called 'Democracy Cafés' across the country, discussing the issues they want to see addressed.
An expert consortium of partners will facilitate the widespread engagement with young people, comprising market research consultancy Savanta; key leader in youth-led engagement in the UK, My Life My Say (MLMS); and the #iwill Movement, a social movement supporting Youth Social Action with coordination from leading civil society and social action charity Volunteering Matters and UK Youth. They will be working with ten Youth Collaborators, young people recruited to ensure all activities are genuinely co-produced.
