Involve and Consult Young People in Improving the Community
This web page is about ways in which young people can be consulted and involved in a meaningful way in decisions and practical actions to improve their local community.
Issues about their local community and their local environment affect young people’s lives directly, and often make them very angry too. After all, they will have to live with decisions made about their environment much longer than the people making the decisions. Issues like lack of space for play and recreation affect children and young people much more than they affect adults, yet young people seldom have a voice in local decisions. They play no real part in political and economic processes, and are rarely consulted.
Young people are usually blamed for local crime, damage, litter, etc. - often wrongly, and yet young people frequently have serious concerns about the environment that they live in and want to do something at a local level to help.
So how can young people become involved?
Building Citizenship
Citizenship is about:- Giving young people the knowledge, understanding and skills that they need to help them participate in society as active citizens.
- Developing relationships between adults and young people.
- Breaking down barriers between age groups and between young people themselves.
- Creating opportunities to engage young people, working alongside adults, in programmes to benefit the community of which they are a part.
- Giving young people a sense of pride and belonging, which can help them to become involved in the life of their community.
Practical Environmental Projects
One way to develop citizenship is to involve young people in practical environmental work. This can help them to develop new practical skills, to develop co-operation and the ability to work together and to develop confidence. At the same time it will help them to develop a sense of pride and involvement in their local community, and a sense of ownership and belonging.As an adult wanting to involve young people, what can you do?
- Listen and be tolerant.
- Remember that young people may want to do things in a ‘different’ way.
- Recognise young people’s achievements.
- Realise that young people do not have a voice, but you do. You can help them to make their views known to those who make decisions on their behalf.
Contacts who can Help You
The Education in the Community Service at Durham County Council, who have produced this factsheet, will be able to offer you some help and advice. They can be contacted on 0191 3834400.
There are also local Area Community Education Co-ordinators:
North Durham
Alisa Fenwick
Stanley Education Centre
King Edward VIII Terrace
Shield Row
Stanley
County Durham
DH9 0HH
Tel: 01207 232565
West Durham
Jo Hayes
Area Office
Kingsway
Bishop Auckland
County Durham
DL14 7JN
Tel: 01388 662577
East Durham
Sue Burbage
The Education Centre
York Road
Peterlee
County Durham
Tel: 0191 5871098
Mid Durham
Education in the Community
Aykley Heads Centre
Aykley Heads
Durham
County Durham
DH1 5TS
Tel: 0191 3839176
Sedgefield Area
Diane Major
Chilton Community College
Chilton
Rushyford
County Durham
DL17 0PT
Tel: 01388 720911
Case Studies
There are many examples of successful achievements in involving young people. Here are two examples:
Quaking Houses is a small village on the outskirts of Stanley which has suffered from severe pollution as a result of its mining heritage. Young people identified the local stream as an area which they wanted to try and clean up. With help from their Youth Worker they involved scientists in testing the water and in eventually building a pioneering filtration system. This project needed interested adults to support and guide them. They achieved a reduction in pollution, national and local recognition for what they have done and respect within their local community. Many of the group have been willing participants in other projects.
Young people from Oxhill Youth Club wanted to make a difference in their community and decided to work with Oxhill Nursery School to improve their outside play area. They swept the yard, cleared drains, painted a mural and emptied and cleaned the sandpit, whilst indoors they painted furniture. During summer 2000 they created a ‘five senses garden’ which included making windchimes and planting a strawberry patch.
