Agenda item

Report of Strategic Director, Care Wellbeing and Learning

The Committee received a presentation from the Gateshead Youth Assembly (GYA) Chair, Ewan Taws, and Secretary, Jake Guthrie.  It was noted that a weekend in November was used to plan priorities for the new year, which are;

·         Emotional wellbeing

·         Child Sexual Exploitation

·         Child poverty

·         Religious and racial harmony

·         Staying safe

In terms of emotional wellbeing, work is ongoing to reprint posters and develop myth buster factsheets.  Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) continues to be big news and will be included on the myth buster factsheets, police cadets will also be invited to deliver their CSE presentation to the GYA to inform members on the issue.  The GYA have been working with the North East Child Poverty Commission for three years and working with Gateshead Foodbank to provide Christmas presents and selection boxes to children and young people living in poverty.  Part of the GYA’s work this year will be to develop a poster around ‘what poverty looks like’, not just focused on financial poverty but also poverty of experience and opportunity, as poverty is often hidden it is important to raise awareness.  In addition, work will be held with schools to map what action they take to alleviate the effects of poverty on their students.

Speakers will be invited to address the GYA around religious and racial harmony, schools and youth clubs will be lobbied to follow suit.  In terms of the staying safe priority, a campaign will be developed around risks, personal safety and how young people can make others feel by their behaviour.

It was noted that the GYA only have limited time and money and therefore only five main priorities were identified, however a position statement was provided which shows what the GYA stands for and what it wants to achieve going forward.  It was confirmed that the group has become smaller as a lot of members have left, however the GYA continues to work on issues important to Gateshead and its young people.

It was queried why the group has lost members. It was confirmed that Valerie Ender, Youth Support Worker, now only works one day per week and the group has reduced to 24 from 62.  It was suggested that this may be due to Val being less able to engage fully with schools, therefore not as many new members are being recruited. 

It was questioned what funding avenues have been explored.  It was noted that numerous bids have been submitted and work continues to look for funding opportunities, however as this is a Gateshead charity opportunities are limited and aimed at national based organisations.

It was also questioned how young people outside of education are engaged with.  It was noted that a lot of awareness raising work is done through social media.

In terms of the position statement, clarification was sought on the rational around requesting the voting age to be lowered.  It was acknowledged that there will be a campaign for the voting age to be lowered to 16 as in some respects 16 year olds are treated as adults, for example are no longer eligible for a child’s bus fare.  The GYA feel that there is nothing that happens between the ages of 16 and 18 which makes 18 year olds better able to vote.

The point was made that excellent work has been carried out by Bede Primary School, as discussed at the last OSC meeting, around emotional health and wellbeing and it was suggested that this information be shared so work between the schools and GYA can be better aligned.

It was questioned whether the GYA has been involved in the consultation around the re-provision of the children and young people’s mental health service.  It was noted that the GYA have not been involved in the consultation, the Committee suggested that the group look at feeding into that consultation.

It was noted that the GYA’s budget has been cut by two thirds, previously there were three workers, two full time and one part time, however now there is only one part time worker.  This reduction in staffing has impacted on the work of the youth assembly and ambitions have had to be lowered.  It was stated that if a worker could be employed for one additional day this would enable more bids for funding to be secured. 

RESOLVED    -           That the Committee noted the information presented.