All aims and priorities relating to delivering services for children and young people in Worcestershire are currently guided by a document called the Children and Young People’s Plan (CYPP).

The Children’s Trust is currently working with its partners on producing a new plan and is calling for Worcestershire residents to help shape the future vision by sharing their views via Worcestershire County Council’s website.

Councillor Marcus Hart, Chair of the Worcestershire Children’s Trust, said: “The Trust believes everybody’s voice is important and is therefore asking as many people in Worcestershire to feed back on the outcomes of the current plan and help shape the new plan.

“We will be consulting with a wide range of people, including children and young people, parents and carers, County Councillors, professionals and teachers using a wide range of methods. We would encourage as many people as possible to get involved in this valuable piece of work.”

The CYPP is a single plan that sets out what all agencies working with children and young people will do to make lives better for children, young people and their families.

One of the main ways in which people can get involved in the consultation is by completing this short general questionnaire, http://www.worcestershire.gov.uk/researchweb/cypp/vp_cypp.htm, which will be available until 20th September.
And young people are invited to provide a more detailed view via this additional questionnaire https://www.worcestershire.gov.uk/researchweb/cypp/2010.htm

The consultation is being carried out between August and October. Events have been organised throughout this period for children, children, young people, parents, carers and stakeholders, in addition to the two questionnaires.

People interested in finding out more about the Children’s Trust and the CYPP should visit http://www.worcestershirepartnership.org.uk/cms/theme-groups/childrens-and-young-people/2011-to-2014-consultation.aspx

Alternatively, people can email Rachel Adams on radams2@worcestershire.gov.uk or call 07595 091200.

As part of the sitting, Alex, Elise and Robert Visited Stormont and were addressed by Francie Molloy, Deputy Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly, and 15 year-old Member of Youth Parliament, Aaron Meredith, from South Belfast. During the weekend the Members of Youth Parliament were also addressed by a number of high profile speakers, including the Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow, the Minister for Energy and Climate Change, Charles Hendry, and Robin Newton, Junior Minister within the Office of First and Deputy First Minister in Northern Ireland.

Alex, Elise and Robert did their best to make sure that the views of young people from all over Worcestershire were fed into all of the debates and manifesto groups. They have come away with some great ideas on how to carry their work forward and make some positive changes.

After visiting Stormont everyone had a coach tour of Belfast and learnt a bit about the history and the politics of Belfast, they saw the Peace Wall and visited other places of interest.

The Worcestershire Youth Cabinet and members of the UK Youth Parliament (UKYP) are heading out into the community to get to the bottom of the issues that really matter to the young people of worcestershire.

Young people will have the chance to questions their representatives during a variety of dedicated workshops taking place county-wide.

“Whether there’s something really bugging you, a cause you feel should be celebrated or if you simply want to find out how you can get more involved in local politics – we want to hear from you.”

 ”This is a really fantastic opportunity for young people across Worcestershire to get their voices heard. “

The Youth Cabinet at Work

Starting this month, the roadshow will run throughout August and into September, with the young politicians setting up shop at a variety of locations across Worcestershire.

Dates and Venues that are confimed so far:

 30th July - Malvern Youth Centre 12pm - 2pm
 4th August - Malvern National Play Day  12pm - 2pm
 17th August Upton Library 11am - 1pm Cancelled
 19th August Stourport Park Party  6.30pm - 8pm
 To be confimed Droitwich Spa Zone 6pm - 8pm
 24th August Evsham Abby Park6.30 - 8pm
 26th August Malvern Library (time to be confimed)
 6th September Westlands 7pm - 830pm
 9th September Droitwich Youth House 6.30pm - 8.30 pm

Kidderminster Youth House- To be Confirmed

Rubery - To be confirmed

 We will be adding more dates as and when we get them, so if you cant see one taking place in your area keep checking the webisite, or if you would like more information about any of these dates please feel free to ring Kirsty Fraser (01905 827489) who will be able to help with your question or query.

Two Members of the Youth Parliament (MYPs) from Worcestershire will be attending the UK Youth Parliament Annual Sitting in Belfast.

MYPs Elise Hollins, who represents Bromsgrove and Wyre Forest; Robert Reitz, who represents Redditch and Wychavon and Alex White, who represents Worcester District and is Chair of the Worcestershire Youth Cabinet.

The Annual Sitting, which takes place July 23-26 at Ulster University in Belfast, will see MYPs from across the UK come together to take part in workshops and debates, they will also look at developing the UK Youth Parliament’s campaigns for the year ahead and bringing the issues of local young people to a national stage. This will be the first time the Sitting has taken place in Northern Ireland.

Young people who would like to raise any issues they would like to be taken forward to the Annual Sitting should contact their MYP via Kirsty Fraser, Worcestershire County Council’s Youth Voice Development Worker, on 01905 827489, email kfraser@worcestershire.gov.uk or youthcabinet@worcestershire.gov.uk.

For more information about the Youth Parliament, visit www.ukyouthparliament.org.

 

Alex and Tayla  from The Worcestershire Youth Cabinet took part in a live debate on national radio station BBC 5 Live. The event was presented Victoria Debryshire and attended by over 150 people, including Hilary Benn, Tony Write from Labour, Simon Huges from Lib Deb, Grant Shapps from the Conservatives and Keith Brown from SNP.

Alex and Taylor both raised the issues of lowering the legal voting from 18 to 16 and the fact education given to young people in the run up to them being able to vote is just good enough.  They also talked about the MP’s expense scandals and how this may have affected trust in the government.

Tayla has been invited back to take part in a BBC Radio WM election debate taking place on Wednesday 14^th April, this will be presented by Joanne Malin and attended Jacqui Smith MP, if anyone aged 11- 18 has any issues that they would like Tayla to voice at this event please contact her via the Worcestershire Youth Cabinet Website or email kfraser@worcestershire.gov.uk

If you would like to listen to the live debate please follow this link where the show will be avalible for a further 7 days

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00s063nRadio 5 Live Radio 5 Live

Robert, Ellen and Max

Three MYPs (members of youth parliament) were elected by young people aged 11 to 18 from across worcestershire who collectively cast 6,516 votes.

The result of the election was announced on Saturday 20th February in the Council Chamber , County Hall.

The new MYP for West Worcestershire – which includes Worcester, Malvern and Upton-upon-Severn – is 12-year-old Max Robinson, of Whitbourne, near Worcester, who beat three other candidates to the post.

“I stood so I could help the voices of young people be heard,” he said. “I am elated to have won.”

East Worcestershire’s (Redditch, Evsham, Persore, Droiwich) new MYP is Robert Rietz, aged 15, of Redditch.

He said: “I entered because I wanted to help out other people, and I’m really ecstatic about being an MYP.

“While I’m in office I hope to get cheaper car insurance for teenagers because a lot of my friends at school are complaining about it.”

Elise Hollins, 12, of Bromsgrove, won the North Worcestershire seat (Bromsgrove and Wyre Forest.

She hopes to raise the profile of her school and improve things in her community.

“I had the backing from my whole school,” she said.

“They are going to be so happy I won and I am over the moon.”

The new MYPs will now take their places on the Worcestershire Youth Cabinet as well as the work that they will be doing on a regional and national level with UK Youth Parliament.

Councillor Andy Roberts, Mayor of Worcester, who spoke at the event, said he thought it was important for the young people to be involved with schemes such as the UK Youth Parliament.

“Although we want them to have a childhood, we want them to understand the importance of local and national government has in their lives,” he said.

“They need to be realistic and know they need to work hard to achieve things, which this teaches them.”

Young people from across the county will go to the polls over the coming weeks for this year’s United Kingdom Parliament (UKYP) elections.

A total of 22 young people from Worcestershire, aged between 11 and 18, are standing in the elections, which have been organised by the council’s Youth Support.

Young people will go to the polls at venues across the county from today (January 25) until February 7.

The following three seats are up for grabs:

Four candidates - West Worcestershire (currently occupied by Alice Murphy from Worcester Sixth Form College).
Nine candidates - East Worcestershire (currently occupied by Ario Bagheri from Droitwich Spa High School Sixth Form).
Nine candidates - North Worcestershire (currently occupied by Ellen Cochrane from North Bromsgrove High School).
The results are set to be announced at County Hall on February 20.

Councillor Liz Eyre, Worcestershire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children and Young People (12-19 years), said: “Now’s the time for young people from across Worcestershire to shape future decisions that affect them. We’re pleased with the number of candidates who are standing in the elections and are looking forward to welcoming plenty of young people to our polling stations throughout the county.”

UKYP was launched at the House of Commons in July 1999 and held its first setting in London in 2001. Each Local Education Authority (LEA) in England represents a UKYP constituency.

Once elected, MYPs work with their MPs, councillors, school and youth councils and peer group members on the issues of greatest concern to their constituents. It regularly brings together its MYPs at a regional level to organise campaigns, projects and events and identify common issues of concern.

People interested in finding out more should  call Kirsty Fraser at Worcestershire County Council on 01905 827489 or email kfraser@worcestershire.gov.uk

• Eight candidates - East Worcestershire (currently occupied by Ario Bagheri from Droitwich Spa High School Sixth Form).

• Nine candidates - North Worcestershire (currently occupied by Ellen Cochrane from North Bromsgrove High School).
Councillor Liz Eyre, Worcestershire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children and Young People (12-19 years), said: “We’re delighted with the positive response we’ve received for our recent call for candidates. The elections process is well and truly underway now and we are looking forward to seeing which young people are elected to represent their views and peers on a local, regional and national level next year.”
The results are set to be announced at County Hall on February 20.
UKYP was launched at the House of Commons in July 1999 and held its first setting in London in 2001. Each Local Education Authority (LEA) in England represents a UKYP constituency.
Once elected, MYPs work with their MPs, councillors, school and youth councils and peer group members on the issues of greatest concern to their constituents. It regularly brings together its MYPs at a regional level to organise campaigns, projects and events and identify common issues of concern.