Case Studies

Sefton Young Advisors have recently completed a piece of research looking at how young people feel about being consulted and engaged with through social networking sites. The research included consultation with young people across the borough and revealed that whilst many young people are happy to use social networking sites to interact with agencies, they don't want it to be the main tool for consultation and engagement. The research also raised a number of concerns around safeguarding. Overall, the Young Advisors emphasised the importance of not relying on social networking as the primary method of consultation – it should only be used when appropriate and as one part of a wider process. Follow the link below for the full report.

Young Advisors wrote and facilitated workshops in five schools across Sefton to find out what young people thought about the Council's Core Strategy (the plans that affect the borough for the next 15 - 20 years); covering areas such as housing, the environment, green spaces, and transport. This is the second time Sefton's YAs have worked alongside the Planning team from the Council to ensure the views of young people are heard in these vital consultations.

Some of our YAs; Mark, Georgia and Matt; along with some of our friends from Knowsley; went to meet a visitor from the USA to tell them all about the work that Sefton and Knowsley YAs do. See the video below for more info...

Young Advisors Nat and Mark have been designing and facilitating consultations with children in out of school care settings across the borough. The work is on behalf of Sefton Council and will be a vital part of their consultation to find out how services can be improved.

We've been commissioned by NHS Sefton to do a really exciting piece of work looking at raising awareness of the causes, signs and symptoms of stroke and working alongside their teams, the Stroke Association and local community groups to encourage people to get health checks. We'll be delivering sessions to young people to try to make a difference to future generations and so that they can spread awareness with their families, carers, and wider community...
Take a look at the leaflet the YAs wrote below:

James (back row, 2nd from left in the picture above) recently co-facilitated an event for young people to introduce them to debating and teach them some skills. James put together and co-facilitated the event alongside two other Sefton CVS staff. The training was at Bootle Town Hall, where John Pugh MP joined the session to watch the young people try out their debating skills on the debating chamber floor of the Town Hall.

Sefton Young Advisor Mark has now joined Katy on the Board of Trustees for the national Young Advisors Charity and we're sure they will continue to do Sefton and the national charity proud :D

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...