The Enfield Youth Assembly
Who?
The Youth Assembly (EYA) is primarily a two-year programme, which enables young people of the Borough to have a direct voice with decision makers of the Borough.
The programme of the EYA covers the whole array of the ECM objectives. Through the work the young people involved make a positive contribution to their communities and in doing so enjoy and achieve through attendance to various residentials, attendance to council meetings and organising their own work plans. By attending meetings such as police consultation events and community cohesion consultations they contribute to staying safe. In the activities that they participate, particularly with residentials, there is a focus on staying healthy and the overall theme of the EYA achieves and addresses economic well-being. This piece of work approaches the ECM with young people from a holistic approach and focuses on current affairs that impact on young people’s everyday lives
The main cohort of the EYA are recruited via schools and youth centres. These are elected via their peers to represent their views and opinions. However any young person can become a member of the EYA by simply coming along on a regular basis to the Monday and Tuesday sessions (6.30 – 9.30 p.m.) The EYA is open to all 11 – 19 year olds that wish to attempt to improve the quality of life for young people in the Borough.
How?
The EYA has a track record of hosting events and consultation with young people from organising conferences, exhibitions, street surveying, and film documentaries.
Since February 2006, the new group have been busy trying to develop as a group, focussing on trying to gain other peer support in an attempt to make the EYA a household name for all young people of the Borough.
They have attempted to do this with the constant development of the EYA website (www.mqyouth.org.uk), hosting events such as a Halloween Party and Valentine’s Party with an aim of consulting those that attend. The group have also interviewed a number of senior officers within the council for their views about supporting young people, people such as Director of Education, Peter Lewis, Chief Executive, Rob Leak, and Assistant Director for ECSL, Claire Lewis. They have attended various meetings from Police consultation evenings, council budget consultation evening, community cohesion consultation events, civic forum event and the induction of the new councillors in May 2006.
Where?
Alan Pullinger Centre, 1 John Bradshaw Road, Southgate, N14
Contact Name
Peter Smith, website http://www.mqyouth.org.uk
When? (time project runs):
Monday/Tuesday evenings 6.30 – 9.30 pm
Achievement / Accreditation
All young people that volunteer are rewarded with accredited certificates in either the Duke of Edinburgh Award, AQA, MV (Millennium Volunteers), or the local Youth Achievement Award. This is evidenced by the creation of their own individual portfolios on work done in the time spent with the EYA.
The EYA members primarily focus themselves within the programmes on skills development in an array of different areas, including public speaking, desktop publishing, web design, magazine and editorial skills, events management, debating, team building/organisation skills, understanding local government and how it organises and makes decisions and individual skills of interest. Members also contribute to the regional and national body of the UKYP so as not to be insular/isolated with their views and this collation equally impacts on debates had and skills acquired.