In my role as Youth Participation Ambassador, it is important that I visit as many areas as possible to talk with young people and promote the importance of youth participation.
Below are some small diary excerpts of some of the visits that I have undertaken.
May 2023
This was my first time visiting somewhere outside of the office. This visit was a shadowing opportunity with my line manager Mike, at Thorpe St Andrew High School. This visit allowed me to see what Mike does within his role as a Senior Youth Worker. This helped me get a feel for what it is like to meet young people, how to interact and ensure they are comfortable and how to engage them in conversation. Sessions were focused on young people and their daily lives. This gave me more experience and confidence in approaching young people, whilst understanding that not everyone is the same. I also learnt valuable skills such as creating small talk and finding common ground when discussing interests such as music, hobbies, and education. During this visit I met around three young people after observing Mike, and speaking with the young people when it was appropriate to do so. It was really encouraging to speak to the young people and boost my confidence, which will no doubt help with future interactions.
June 2023
This visit was to London City Hall for the Young Londoners Peer Research project (YLRP). I travelled to London Liverpool Street and met up with Matthew, the Assistant Director for CYPS. From there, we took the tube to London City Hall and joined the convention. This visit was very informative and gave me a stronger understanding of the different types of groups they have in London that young people can get involved in to have their voice heard. It was really inspiring to see young people empowering each other and services supporting them in doing this. Throughout the convention there were multiple panels taking place that you could attend. The main aim of the YLRP is to explore what needs young people have in the community. Groups identify issues, choose a relevant research project and autonomously carry out that project and then meet to present their findings. The different projects used a variety of media to document their findings and each one had an objective to aim for throughout. I felt privileged to watch the young people share their passion for their projects.
August 2023
I had the opportunity to visit Homes2Inspire (H2I), which started in 2007 and is a part of Shaw Trust. They have grown and now have 30 homes across the UK all unique but united in the belief that every child and young person deserves the best possible start in life.
I was lucky enough to be able to visit 3 H2I homes based across Nottingham. I met with Becks the Quality Assurance Manager for H2I. I was keen to visit H2I as I was curious about what the homes are like, how they run and most importantly, I wanted to meet with those who impact young people’s lives in a positive way. The experience of meeting the staff and young people was lovely and it was heartwarming to hear how far the young people have progressed, and to see first-hand the supportive and caring environment they have built around them. Whilst there I took the opportunity and informally interviewed the staff asking them four questions around youth participation and how they demonstrate the pledge. The staff and young people made me feel welcome and it helped give me an understanding of what a children’s home ran by H2I is like. It was nothing like TV shows depict. They were nice, supportive homes where young people’s wishes and feelings are at the centre of everything.
