By Sarah Robinson

Published at 11:08, Thursday, 03 May 2012

JOBS, apprenticeships and transport links were some of the issues raised by Copeland’s Youth Council in a meeting with MP Jamie Reed.

working together: Ready to make their presentation are youth council members (from left) John MacLeod, Adam Clayton, Tilly Anderson, Matthew Rogan, Bethany Bowe, Sophie Flynn and Robin Whelan to Coun Hugh Branney, MP Jamie Reed and Coun Wendy Skillicorn

The 17 youngsters also met borough and county councillors to raise five main priorities they believe need to be addressed over the next year. The meeting was held at Copeland Centre last week.

John Macleod, one of the youth councillors, said: “We know that Jamie Reed MP takes an active interest in helping young people, as he has shown through his work in the past. We were keen to meet with him and other elected representatives to share our priorities and see how they could help us to make them a reality.”

The event was organised by Copeland Council, along with Cumbria County Council, Inspira (formerly Connexions) and the Brathay Trust, who together manage and operate the Copeland Youth Council as a way to involve young people in decision-making in the borough.

The youth council is made up of young people from each of the six localities in the borough, along with representatives coordinated by Inspira. All of the members are aged between 13 and 18.

Emma Dickinson, youth engagement officer, said: “We currently have six youth forums across Copeland with an over-arching youth council. They are all in a different locality and raise issues specific to that area. The youth council looks at some of the issues and has picked out five priorities for all year.”

These five priorities are: promoting a range of activities for young people of all ages; job opportunities and apprenticeships. The council will also be looking at drugs, alcohol and personal health issues. Transport is another major priority. The group will also be looking at the need for young people to be listened to by all organisations.

In January, the youth council received a £10,000 grant from Cumbria County Council’s local committee. The grant helps fund the ongoing development of the youth council, which has come up with an education plan as well as its five priorities.

Coun Frank Morgan, chairman of Copeland Local Committee, said: “Youth councils are a fantastic initiative and they enable young people to really play a part in shaping their communities and make a difference to the lives of people in their age group.”

The committee also approved plans to nominate two young people from the youth council to act as advisors to the local committee grants panel to provide a youth perspective on grants for children and young people.

The youth forums were formed in 2010 and the youth council began last year.

Emma said: “From Copeland Council’s point of view there wasn’t an avenue for young people to voice their concerns. Copeland knew that they wanted young people to be involved. I’ve been working with the youth providers across Copeland. They have been really supportive and on board.

“We wanted the forums to have time to meet together and talk about the issues that are important to them, before we threw them in at the deep end at the youth council meetings. We have worked with Cumbria County Council and Inspira to get the youth council up and running.”

The youth council meets regularly at Inspira (formerly Connexions) in Whitehaven.

Published by http://www.whitehavennews.co.uk