20/09/2007 - Youth Council Elections

Nominations are under way for the next Welwyn Hatfield Youth Council. The Youth Council is a forum for young people to raise issues and get their views heard by the people that can make a difference. Representatives from each of the schools, college and the youth community groups bring those issues to the agenda.

The Council meets once a month, and youth councillors also sit on various sub-committees, dealing with issues steered by the national ‘Every Child Matters’ agenda. They have county-wide representation, along with the Welwyn Hatfield Youth Advocates.

As a local authority and lead partner in our local Children and Young People’s Plan and Hertfordshire Children’s Trust Partnership, Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council recognises and is committed to the value of democracy and citizenship as part of the curriculum.

Welwyn Hatfield Youth Council has been developed over several years and continues to grow and evolve. The Youth Council now works in partnership with many organisations, all of whom are linked to the local Children and Young People’s Partnership. The Youth Council believes in youth inclusion and works to achieve this throughout the borough, working in partnership to ensure young people’s views are taken on board.

Issues tackled by the Youth Council in the past have included free-to-use football pitches, consultation in rural Welwyn Parish, consultation on the closure of QEII hospital children’s A&E and a debate on school meals.

The Youth Council also works on individual projects for young people. Some project achievements include:

• a young people-friendly website;
• bullying awareness presentations within local schools;
• school zone safety matters; and
• a summer holiday healthy lifestyle week.

Young people elected to be youth councillors really can make a difference in their community, and we’d like all young people in the borough to think about having a go. This is an opportunity for everyone, not just a select few, to have a say! Youth Councillors do require commitment and determination, and must care about their local community and the issues that young people face. If this describes you, or a young person in your school or community, please get involved.

Throughout September and early October, canvassing will take place in schools throughout the borough. Elections will take then place during October all around the borough to coincide with Local Democracy Week 15-19 October 2007, with the first meeting of the Council taking place during that week.

Paul Smith, Borough Councillor for Hatfield South, learned the ropes as a youth councillor and believes that the experience teaches important skills, as well as giving the opportunity to make a difference in the community. He says: “I think it is crucial that the young people of Welwyn Hatfield get the chance to express their views on the issues and problems that are affecting the borough and what solutions they can come up with. A youth council is essential to make sure that their voices are heard and more importantly listened to, and with a successful project the young people can gain a sense of achievement with what they have done, especially in this time when news stories focus on the negative and not the positive of our young people. This type of experience will help them in the future as they will learn important skills such as public speaking and organisation, and to understand the processes that councils go through. When I was 11, I joined my local youth council, and with the help of a councillor I was able to get funding for our projects, national media and improve the activities for the young people in the town, and I hope that I can pass on my knowledge to the new young councillors, and get them as interested in politics and voluntary work as I was.”

For more information or to find out how you can be part of it, call 01707 357224 or email youthcouncil@welhat.gov.uk

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