London,
06
January
2014
|
14:37
Europe/London

2013 round-up - Hackney Youth Parliament

Members of Hackney Youth Parliament met with councillors to report back on their achievements in 2013 and discuss their plans for the coming year.

It has been a busy year for the borough’s young politicians, whose projects have included contributing to high-level Council strategies, organising activities for young people across the borough and representing Hackney on the national stage.

Highlights included:

  • Crossing the line campaign
    HYP carried out a survey of young people to find out about attitudes to discipline at home and at school. The work formed part of a consultation with the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service  and will help to shape training and advice for those working in the field.
  • School nursing consultation
    Members took part in a consultation organised by the Children’s Health and Wellbeing team to find out what schools-based medical services in Hackney should look like.
  • Youth Homelessness
    HYP contributed to a Scrutiny Committee review of measures to combat youth homelessness.
  • Mayor’s Q&A
    Members and pupils from local schools quizzed the Mayor of Hackney, Jules Pipe; Cabinet Member for Education and Children’s Services, Cllr Rita Krishna; Assistant Director for Young Hackney, Florence Kroll; Inspector Simon Crick of Hackney Police and Ife Grillo, Member of Hackney Youth Parliament, in the Council Chamber, in October.
  • Youth Conference
    HYP members helped to organise their annual conference, which saw various speakers and organisations join them for a day of workshops and debates around the topic of identity.
  • UKYP ‘take over’ at the House of Commons
    Hackney’s Member of UK Youth Parliament took part in a debate in the House of Commons, speaking in favour of the group’s national campaign for 2014, ‘Votes at 16’.

This year looks set to be equally as busy. Their plans for 2014 include publishing the revised Hackney Youth Charter, which sets out young people’s rights and the service they can expect from the Council and its partners.

They are currently conducting the annual Young People's Survey, which aims to find out what young people think of the services provided by the Council and others, and how they think they could be improved.  

HYP’s campaign for spring 2014 will focus on Work Experience and Careers Advice, which will include a short film, made by members,  to be screened at the BFI in April.

Cllr Rita Krishna, Cabinet Member for Education and Children's Services, Hackney Council
This was a timely opportunity to look back over the last year and thank the Youth Parliament for all of their hard work. They do an excellent job in representing the views and opinions of young people in Hackney, and we are looking forward to working even more closely with them in 2014. From suggesting activities and organising social events to taking part in important Council reviews and holding councillors to account, they’re making a real difference and gaining some excellent experience.
Cllr Rita Krishna, Cabinet Member for Education and Children's Services, Hackney Council

Hackney's Member of UK Youth Parliament, Ife Grillo, said: "It was great discussing with the councillors the problems that face young people in Hackney. We also discussed how we can improve school councils in the area and work experience and careers advice were also debated as it's such a key issue for young people."

The next Youth Parliament elections take place in October 2014, when every young person who lives or goes to school in Hackney will have the opportunity to vote for who they want to represent them.

For more information visit www.younghackney.org.uk