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NALC holds an event on empowering young voices in your community
The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) held an online event about empowering young voices in your community on 25 October 2023, which looked at how to engage with young people and involve them in local issues.
The expert panel featured Danny Brown, regional co-ordinator at the British Youth Council, Cllr Adam Duce of Godalming Town Council, and Cllr Stefan Heighway of Great Dawley Town Council, who all spoke about how they connected with young people through youth provisions and projects, and highlighted the importance of delivering.
Danny Brown noted that young people feel that many of the current systems are not developed with them in mind, and he emphasised the importance of empowering young people and giving them a seat at the table, especially in matters concerning them. He stated, “We are not giving young people a voice. They already have one. It is about how we empower them to use that voice and what change comes after they use it”.
Cllr Adam Duce stressed the impact youth services and provisions can have on the local community and young people. He highlighted that Godalming Town Council’s current youth provisions have a two-third reduction in antisocial behaviour and their intention to grow the future of the provision through a mobile youth service.
Cllr Stefan Heighway spoke about the benefit of having meaningful youth provisions that cater to a range of needs and interests and using a youth officer to engage with young people. He noted that the Great Dawley Town Council provides hot meals and snacks on particular days, gaming, sports, creative activities, and many more.