Case Studies

YAs were asked to youth-proof Sefton's Children and Young People's Plan (CYPP). Katy decided that it would be a good opportunity to train our new, third wave, YAs in some youth-proofing skills. She put together and facilitated a short course for them all which incorporated the CYPP youth-proofing as part of the day. Feedback has been excellent on the training, so well done Katy!

Sefton YAs Kim and Mark have started a new partnership with John Moores University, Liverpool. The University were really interested to hear more about the research Sefton YAs had done into the effects of Section 30s (see below) on young people, as they have also been doing research in Liverpool. We have agreed to help John Moores plan and facilitate events to promote the research findings we both have and let young people, academics and other professionals know about our work. As part of our new partnership, Dr Joe Yates from the University asked Kim to present Sefton's findings in a lecture to 150 1st year Criminology students! We're really looking forward to developing this partnership...

In September and October 09 our third wave of YAs had their two residential training weekends!

Young Advisors planned and delivered a day of workshops to approximately 80 young people in Sefton to find out what they would like to see included in the Borough's Core Strategy - these are it's plans for the next 15 - 20 years. Working alongside the Council and North West Planning Aid, the YAs used a variety of creative techniques to discover young people's views on transport, housing, the environment, jobs and the economy. The day was a big success and ensured that young people's views were being included in the borough-wide consultations.

Sefton Young Advisors Katy and Joe have joined the Board of Trustees for the national Young Advisors Charity and we're sure they will do Sefton and the national charity proud :D

Young Advisors Matt and Kim have been doing consultation with primary schools to find out what activities are going on for children and young people in the Litherland area. They have developed a "wish tree," (see below) which Matt worked very hard on making!! It is a tree they take to each school and put up and all the children are given leaves to write ideas on of what they would like to have in thier area. The information will be fed back to the people who commissioned us and decision-makers in Sefton. Hopefully more things for C&YP to do in Litherland will be the result!

In February, Government Ministers Hazel Blears and Andy Burnham travelled up from London to come and take a tour of Sefton to see all the positives activities and things that where going on there. Sefton YAs were able to talk to the ministers for 45 minutes. The YAs told Andy and Hazel about the issues that young people in Sefton are facing and also told them about all the positive things happening in Sefton for the young people living there. 45 minutes with 2 ministers, all to themselves. WELL DONE!

Young Advisors Kim and Emily were invited to attend the first ever Cabinet meeting to take place in Liverpool - and the first one to take place outside of London since 1921. The meeting took place in the Liverpool Echo Arena and had all the members of the Cabinet - including Gordon Brown, Jack Straw (shown above with Kim), Alistair Darling, Hazel Blears, Ed Balls, Jacqui Smith and Beverley Hughes. They had the chance to ask the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, what he thought about issues that they are concerned about in their area. It was very successful and good fun. Well done Sefton!!

Picture above shows Gordon Brown talking with Sefton Young Advisor, Kim Cooper. Picture source: www.number10.gov.uk

The second wave of Sefton Young Advisors had their launch earlier this year to show off all their new and fresh skills and their very impressive action walks!! There were over 100 attendees from across the borough plus outside partners. It was held at the Floral Hall in Southport ( the north of Sefton). We had workshops arranged and delivered by all Sefton YAs and presentations by the National Charity. It was a fantastic and successful event and we would to thank all who participated in this! =D

Sefton YA's Kim and Nat carried out a large piece of research with young people on how a Section 30 dispersal order is placed on an area and how it works in the community. After doing a survey with over 200 young people in their wards, they found that 70% of young people felt that a Section 30 made them feel less safe and instead made them feel vunerable and make them more likely to carry weapons. The other 30% didn't even know what one was!

As a result of this, Sefton YA's put together an event for all relevant organisations across Sefton to attend - this included Sergeants of their local Police stations, Councillors, Police Community Support Officer's (PCSO's), Youth Service, Voluntary Sector and others.

Each YA had 3 main questions to ask the organisations about Section 30s so to get their view and opinions about them. It proved to be really successful and resulted in a lot of new opportunities for YAs in Sefton, such as the Merseyside Police Authority asking the YA's to do a presentation about Section 30s for them. They also got invited to go out on a Friday night around their areas with the Police.

Natalie, Kim and Ste (who is now working for the national Young Advisor Charity as their Development Officer for the North) all recieved ASDAN training in Manchester, and all have been helping to get young people in their area this great qualification.

Natalie: I did a 12 week course with the young people as I wanted them to get the best amount of credits, we decided as a group to do the adventure and residential short course award. Throughout the weeks my ASDAN team have really enjoyed themselves, developing strongly as a group going around Liverpool in tutu`s (even the lads) to raise money for their residentials and even arranging a sleepover in the centre for "missie night" and spending weekends away at Skipton doing night walks and learning new skills and having lots of fun.

Katy - youth proofed a document for Local Safeguarding Childrens Board LSCB.
Natalie - Youth Proofed an equality training for Young people to be trained on.
Emily - Youth Proofing on Strategy for Childrens Services.

Nat and Kim attended a day at a local primary school, working with year 4/5 pupils, along with Caroline, Sefton Voices Participation and Involvement Worker. The day was about showing the pupils how to make changes that they wanted in their area through playing fun consultation games with them to see what they would like changing and what they want in the future. We also explained the role of what a YA was and the skills they would need for this and played games which showed them the key skills to be a YA. One pupil said " Young Advisors learnt us how to solve the worlds problem." It was a very good day and the young people really enjoyed themselves!

Natalie and Emily recently did a consultation with 6 young people from across the borough on the new housing strategy plan for the next 5 years. We started with them making their own house out of art based materials to show what they would like in the future which was very interesting to see. We then started explaing about the strategy and we asked the young people a question which would lead to more discussion. We then prepared a report on what was said.

Nat and Kim were chosen to regularly attend a Department for Children Families and Schools meeting in Birmingham every few months. The Young Advisors have their say as young people in which ideas are good or bad, input to the meeting and listen and talk to other charities/agencies from across the country. It is very interesting to know what is getting done for all young people from around the country, not just the Sefton area. To know that they have had an input in this makes them know they have achieved something. Nat and Kim have now stood down from this group and Katy and Becky have replaced them.

The second wave YAs from across Sefton Borough did their residential training in January!

Abbie and Sophia attended this annual conference which was held in London on 20th November 2009. CRAE protects the human rights of children by lobbying government and others who hold power, by bringing or supporting test cases and by using regional and international human rights.