YOUTHVOICE – BITESIZE
Hello and welcome to the ‘Young Voices Heard’s new look, the ‘Youth Voice News’ platform. It aims are to report news and opportunities (Youth Voice Bitesize – Weekly) and to publish features to explore current key issues in more depth. Its scope is youthvoice participation, representation and influence in a wide range of civil society settings and public life. Subscribe to get regular updates or follow us on Twitter/X” @YVH_YouthVoice. The site menu will continue to include the original Young Voices Heard’s Campaign4 Youth Recognition and the popular Resources archive of good practice that we’ve been building up since 2012.
⚡NEW VOTES@16 Campaign OPPORTUNITY for those aged 16-20 UK, to join steering group ? My Life My Say are recruiting young people to a new steering group. The creators of Give An X… are delighted to invite partners to nominate young people for their next national campaign to extend voting rights to 16-17 year olds and work with the government to introduce comprehensive civic education in schools. This is a paid opportunity. £13.15/hr for 3 meetings/ Launch. Deadline 21st Feb 2025. More details on Role Share this application form with yp
⚡Votes@16 Network (NEW) The Politics Project is hosting a network meeting for those interested in Votes at 16 Third Wednesday of the Month @ 10am: 19th Feb, 19th March, 16th April, 21st May. If you would like to join our Votes at 16 meetings then please email Wendy on wendy@thepoliticsproject.org.uk
The Politics Project is inviting stakeholders to share and collaborate on how votes at 16 can be implemented well, and will be developing a strategy for partners/supporters to opt into. A meeting took place on
⚡UK Youth Parliament debate on 28th Feb will be broadcast live on Parliament TV in House of Commons. Topics are expected to include Votes at 16 plus more political education, equal minimum wage, free public transport for young people, and free accessible period products. The debate will also include a slot for reps from British Overseas Territories to debate their priority issues otsmymreport2024.pdf More info to come…
⚡GOOD PRACTICE Youthvoice Essex Youth Assembly published Beyond the Ballot report, when Essex young people delved deeper into the Essex Make Your Mark (UKYouthParliament) results, identified key issues, and proposed solutions to tackle these challenges. The report highlights areas such as Health and Wellbeing, Jobs and the Economy, Crime and Safety, and Culture, Media and Sport. It underscores the importance of youth engagement in shaping policies and services that affect their lives. [Worth submitting as evidence to the current Co-Produced Youth Strategy process at DCMS – Ed]
OPPORTUNITY – the Youth Endowment Fund is recruiting a new advisory board, PAID. Calling all young changemakers aged 16-25 in Eng and Wales! Do you have experience with school exclusion, contact with the police or youth justice system? We’re growing our Youth Advisory Board, and would love to hear from you if you want to help prevent young people becoming involved in violence. Commitment = 5 x hrs/month , Recognition up to £100. Deadline 28/2/25 Youth Advisory Board | Youth Endowment Fund
OPPORTUNITY #YouthVoice Health Forum aged 11-25* Join the NHS Youth Forum 2025-26 – applications close 2nd March!!
Roles available: – Young Research role for 16-25’s – NHS Youth Forum community 11-25. Please share with young people you work with! We ALL use the NHS but aren’t necessarily being heard in the decisions that affect them.
All young people with an interest in health are welcome to apply “It’s been a privilege to have been part of the NHS Youth Forum journey in the last 11 years… 🙃 (crikey has it really been that long!?!) and the Barnardo’s team are absolutely fantastic! So any young person wouldn’t regret applying 🙌 The NHS Youth Forum | Barnardo’s
⚡NEW RESOURCE ‘Guiding principles – Youthled Social Action’, published by Youth Access (national membership body for advice and counselling services] Guiding principles for youth-led social action | Youth Access Created in collaboration with young people in social action roles at Kent Refugee Action Network (KRAN), The Traveller Movement, Gendered Intelligence, Young Persons Advisory Service Liverpool and 42nd Street Manchester. In addition to the staff members in the organisations supporting them, as well as The Young Changemakers Programme (The Diana Award), Children in Need’s We Move Fund, No5 Young People and Free to Be You. | More resources are archived at YoungVoicesHeard/News website in the Resources menu.
PREVIOUSLY
#VOTES@16WATCH
⚡Jan/25 RESEARTCH/Briefing Evidence and Good Practice on Lowering the Voting Age to 16 – A new Votes at 16 report by Dr Christine Huebner and Dr Jan Eichorn has been published to share international evidence and good practice on Lowering the voting age to 16. The report was commissioned by the UK Democracy Fund and shares a range of examples that may be of interest for partners working on Votes at 16
⚡Votes@16 Lords debate – highlights need for better citizenship education, critical thinking, media literacy to spot disinformation, to prepare young voters. ALSO highlights benefits to engagement and mental health. AND.. identifies stakeholders in the Lords Votes for under-16s ‘good for children’s mental health’, Parliament told | STV News
⚡Votes@16 Northern Ireland – “Politics in Action supports a youth-led Votes at 16 campaign in Northern Ireland. On December 19th, members met with Hilary Benn MP, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, who reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to legislating for Votes at 16. He commended the group’s efforts and emphasised the importance of securing legislation in Westminster ahead of the 2027 local and Assembly elections. The group is now reaching out to local party leaders and MPs to push this higher on the Government’s agenda” (In the Loop)
⚡30/1/25 Votes at 16 Article supporting lowering the age to vote following Channel4 poll of youth disenchantment with democracy. Young people say they’d elect a ‘strong leader’. I say give more of them the vote | Polly Toynbee | The Guardian
⚡28/1/25 Votes at 16 voters poll Lord Ashcroft’s latest opinion poll of 5000 voters reveal 54% oppose the idea of Govt introducing votes at 16. Extract
#YOUTHVOICE@LOCAL
⚡Youth Councils numbers down? YMCA new research ymca-youth-services-beyond-the-brink.pdf suggests that local authorities have fewer youth councils to ‘consult’ young people about the provision of local services preferring surveys. Based on FOI request responses only 41% now have a youth council, compared with 92% in 2012 (British Youth Council survey). Our next feature will explore why – subscribe to get it by email.
⚡NEWs 30/1/25 Welsh Youth Parliament priority campaigns to be debated live on Senedd TVin the Welsh Assembly’s debating chamber 10.00 am on Saturday 22 February. Members, aged 11-17, of whom 40 elected by constituencies and 20 by organisations memberships for 2 years, in Dec 24, will choose three topics for the year ahead. Welsh Youth Parliament
⚡VOTING/DEMOCRACY POLL: Channel 4 commissioned poll of 13-27 yr olds highlights disenchantment with democracy & underlines case for political education. Gen Z: Trends, Truth and Trust: Most Gen Z wants UK to become a dictatorship, survey finds | The Independent Article in Guardian counters and explores “why now?” Young people say they’d elect a ‘strong leader’. I say give more of them the vote | Polly Toynbee | The Guardian
⚡NEWS: Youth Strategy MINISTER Updates House of Commons: DCMS Sec State Lisa Nandy MP confirms youth advisory committee and expert group recruitment is underway in HoC answer. Reaffirming commitment to youthvoice leading the process. Interim report expected in Spring with launch in Summer. Link for Hansard text here – National Youth Strategy – Hansard – UK Parliament Young Advisors to meet this week (3-7 Feb)
#RECOGNITION 
Health Best Practice call. “We are looking for fantastic examples of children, young people & family engagement in improving child health services 20 will be selected to create posters for the RCPCH Conference #RCPCH25 Deadline 20 Feb at 10am Complete your entry here” forms.office.com/e/Qtr9sz9Yvh
⚡EDITORS PICK
⚡RESEARCH ARTICLE Dec 24 – Interesting article for champions and architects of youth participation and the expectations we set. Titled “Participating in the impasse? The cruel optimism of the youth participatory democratic project fantasy” the first para starts… “Participatory research often claims to inspire and empower young people to change their lives and communities but what if the problems are entrenched, and the world remains intransigent?” Participating in the impasse – D3.pdf
⚡OPPORTUNITY – HAVE YOUR SAY on care experiences with CoramVoice – Children in care/Careleavers 4-25 “We are delighted to announce that. Voices 2025 is now open for entries We can’t wait to read your poems, raps, stories and more!” Entries close: 23/03/2025 – Find out more http://coramvoice.org.uk/voices
✅RESOURCE – launched by The Centre for Youth Voice, Dec24. The “Observatory” aims to illuminate meaningful examples of youth voice activity occurring across the UK, to support us all to expand our knowledge or strengthen our own approaches in youth voice practice. Whether you’re looking for evidence to support your work, examples of tested methods to embed in your organisation, or simply curious about how others are engaging young people Browse here 👉 https://bit.ly/3VbcdUY More resources are archived in the Resources menu on YoungVoicesHeard/News website.