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#YouthVoiceNews 15th April

Editor

“Take up space .. you deserve to be there… and if you weren’t invited to be in the room – ask for an invitation…” Lily Mott, ‘Be the Change’ Emerging Leaders podcast is this week’s Recommended Listen⬇️ on how to get started making change.. PLUS

Welcome to #YouthVoice News & Opportunities: your regular round-up from the world of youthvoice, participation, and influence. #YouthVoiceNews is produced by Young Voices Heard CIC as a non-profit venture, and edited by a volunteer. Join over 600 practitioners and young leaders – subscribe to get this free Newsletter via LinkedIn here. (& access back issues). And Tag Us #YouthVoiceNews or @YouthVoiceHeard so we can highlight your youthvoice

NEWS

YouthVoice Co-assessment framework launched – 14th April: The Centre for Youth Voice has launched a new co-assessment framework (free) for practitioners and young people to use together to reflect on their youth voice practice. You will be able to complete it online/and share anonymously with the Centre to share trends.  “It’s a map for continuous improvement, not as pass/fail assessment”. The framework covers the full range of approaches to youth voice — from youth consultation and co-production, to youth-led governance, activism, and social action.

➡ Tool and PDF download: https://www.regionalyouthunits.com/self-assessment-tool
➡ Launch recording: https://youtu.be/s7tOjUyyH3o

Youth Parliament funding has been given 1 year extension. A spokesperson for the National Youth Agency, which has been managing the UKYouthParliament contract for DCMS since the British Youth Council closed in March 2024, said “We have been working closely with DCMS to understand the future of UKYP and have been advised that the Secretary of State has decided to extend the programme for one year and is reviewing her plans for youth empowerment programmes. We have notified our delivery partners of this update, and our priority now is to design a one-year programme that offers a positive experience for young people and helps shape what follows.” For more information on the work of the Youth Parliament, click here.

Aged 13-18? At school or college? Help build the new National Union of School Students! NUS (univeristy and colleges) and youth environmental charity SOS UK (Students Organising for Sustainability) are collaborating to create a new national voice for school pupils – the National Union of School Students (NUSS) which will be “a democratic organisation run by and for secondary school, sixth form and college students, with the infrastructure to represent their collective voice to devolved governments, Westminster, media, and the public”. Similar organisations exist across Europe in Ireland (70% secondary students), Norway, France, Finland, Germany, and Belgium, all members of OBESSU, the Organising Bureau of European School Student Unions ”   NUSS has already joined the new Youth Council UK and if you’d like to join the NUSS organising team (13-18 -no experience needed), please email hello@nuss.org.uk, and we’ll see how you can get involved” Read More Here, including timetable / and Signup to Newsletter here 

Youth Council UK latest: Comment by Leigh Middleton, CEO of NYA writing in CYP Now – Creation of Youth Council UK is a turning point for youth voice and participation  (1st April) confirmed that YCUK’s new Executive Board of “17 elected young people aged 16 to 25 will shortly begin shaping the council’s direction and priorities for the next two years”. They will be supported through this by a “Support Board of eight members from across the UK, Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories. These non-voting members will empower young people to lead effectively by offering technical expertise, strategic counselling and practical support”.

YCUK is the successor to the British Youth Council (which closed over two years ago) has been recruiting over 200 fresh member organisations since October. Looking forward to learning who they are and who their new spokespeople for a national youth voice will be. JC/Ed)

RECOMMENDED LISTEN – from our partner Be The Change

Emerging Leaders (18-30) in conversation with Lily Mott/BeTheChange. Bitesize clips include advice for others starting their #youthvoice journey – featuring Lauren Bennett Sami Gichki Saeed Atcha Tamarantha (Tammie) Esslemont Anita Okunde Jake Causley Lanré Adeleye Savannah Hanson Conor Warren Andrew Speight Paddy Crump Charlotte Evans Delnaz Kazemi Ines Hart and Emma Redfern This special episode was recorded live from the Rainforest Biome at the Eden Project and features a series of conversations with Anthropy UK’s ‘Emerging Leaders’ event. “The format is a little different from my typical episodes, but these conversations are powerful, personal, and full of joy. And how many podcast episodes have you listened to that were recorded in a rainforest? That alone feels like a good enough reason to tune in! ” Read more or Find the episode on:
Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/evkgKGkV
Spotify: https://lnkd.in/eqvSyhek
Other Podcasting Platforms: https://lnkd.in/gMs9bHzbRead more or tune it here.🎧

RECOMMENDED READS

IN BRIEF

⚡YouthVoice in Sport (Rowing) ‘Give us a seat at the table’: the value of a youth voice in sports governance – JRN | The World’s Leading Rowing Platform

⚡North Ayrshire Joint Youth Forum hears the voices of young people

⚡Somerset Youth MPs start their two-year term of office Three young people start two-year term representing county in youth parliament – Yahoo News UK

⚡Children & YP annual Awards – Nominations open. “These prestigious awards are a source of pride and recognition for all those improving lives, and the gold standard for everyone working with children, young people and families”. Young Voices Heard is a supporter of these awards and its young judges panel (who have an equal say with older judges). So our “Campaign4YouthRecognition” calls on you to nominate youthvoice champions for these awards. Although there is still no ‘youthvoice’ category, you can still recognise their impact in one of the other categories!  Read more. Deadline 15th June.

👀How to make a success of Votes at 16 | LSE British Politics: Votes at 16 might become a reality across the UK. But that alone won’t ensure an increase in the participation of young people in democratic politics. James Sloam, Matt Henn and Ana Nunes offer a diagnosis of why young people haven’t been voting as much as their elders, and put forward proposals for how to change that – introduced by Ana Nunes blog

👀Votes at 16 should be just the start | LSE British Politics The Representation of the People’s Bill recently introduced by the Government proposes the lowering of the voting age nationally from 18 to 16. Laura Serra makes the case for votes at 16, argues against some common objections, and urges the Government to ensure young voters actually exercise their newly acquired right.

👀Votesat16Watch rolling news page includes these stories and more back to July 2025 . PLUS –  V16W campaign Timeline/Resources👀

OPPORTUNITIES to “mobilise your youthvoice”

[Note – all opps are based on info from hosting organisations. We endeavour to include accurate age range, dates and deadlines – but for up-to-date info, check with the organisers. Ed]

YOUTH VOICE OPPORTUNITIES

YOUTH VOICE CENSUS

The ‘Youth Voice Annual Census 2026’ by @Youth Employment UK is open: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐AGED 11-30? UK? Have your say on how you feel about life, work and education, which YEUK will use to lobby decision-makers/Government. Every year, thousands of people complete the survey, sharing their opinions to shape the future. The survey can take between 10 and 45 minutes to complete, depending on the answers you give. You can start and stop as many times as you like, saving your progress as you go! More info/video/workers resources/past surveys Here or Start the Survey here. Deadline 8th June.

CONSULTATIONS

Consultation on the future of Growing up in Digital World / #iwillMovement / Savanta, Volunteering Matters / UKYouth  (with Govt) Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has launched a UK wide consultation on growing up in the online world. The consultation aims to understand how children, young people and families can be better supported as digital platforms, gaming environments and emerging technologies become an even greater part of everyday life. To ensure young people’s insights are at the heart of this work, DSIT has commissioned a consortium led by Savanta, supported by the #iWill Movement (powered by Volunteering Matters and UK Youth). Together, we are creating opportunities for young people, parents, carers and practitioners to share their experiences through surveys, creative engagement and in–person youth hack events. Readmore

Calling all Schools/YouthOrgs: FlippGen cohosting consultation on Social Media Ban with Govt. “On Thursday 23rd April 2026 (2.30pm – 5.30pm), we’re hosting a YTH event in collaboration with 5Rights, supported by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.”ReadMore/Signup

 

⚡Social Media Ban /Safety: The Government has launched a national consultation on “how to better protect children online and support families in a period of rapid technological change. We want to hear from a wide range of voices across the UK, especially those working with and supporting children and families. The consultation seeks views on issues like minimum age for social media, addictive features such as autoplay and infinite scroll, AI chatbots, mobile phones in schools, and support for parents and carer. It is open until 26 May 2026,  Main consultation , Parent-friendly version ,Child-friendly version

YOUNG ADVISORS

⚡Save the Children UK are recruiting for new members of our Youth Advisory Board!
It’s a great opportunity for young people aged 12-16 across the UK who are passionate about the world around them, injustice and child poverty in the UK. There are no skills or experience required – we welcome young people who are just starting their journey. If you’re a youth worker who knows young people who’d be super keen, please reach out! Deadline 19th April. Link to apply here: https://lnkd.in/ezFVsZh

⚡Trustee positions – Interested in becoming a trustee? Only 3% of trustees are under the age of 30. Find under-30-friendly trustee boards through the Young Trustees Movement

If you have a #youthvoice opportunity coming up, drop us a line info@youngvoicesheard.org.uk

SUPPORTERS OPPORTUNITIES – Training

⚡Centre for Youth Voice: Free Training and Events

Multiple dates – Peer Research Toolkit Training: Based on the toolkit, we are delivering 90-minute training sessions on different aspects of the peer research approach, with presentations and Q&As.

RECORDINGS/SLIDES Based on the Peer Research Toolkit 2025 released in November, we have been running a series of free seminars since January. The first three recordings, and accompanying presentation slides, have now been put on the Centre for Youth Voice. Matthew Walsham, who put together the toolkit, goes through the beginning steps of a peer research project in these first three recordings: Watch the seminars here

  1. Peer Research Toolkit Training 1: Introduction to peer research
  2. Peer Research Toolkit Training 2: Setup, budgets, and scope
  3. Peer Research Training 3: Recruitment, training, and research question

The Centre for Youth Voice is funded by the National Lottery Community Fund and delivered by the Network of Regional Youth Work Units. Note: Publications/Resources are on the opening page and scroll down 🙂

NEWSLETTERS

👀Centre for Youth Voice – making its mark Newsletter/March 26  Another excellent newsletter from the Centre4YV – with news, free training dates and resources.

👀Govt/DCMS Youth Team – Newsletter / March 2026 -packed with news, info, webinars, consultation info and research, including: Youth Matters: Your National Youth Strategy: ‘Delivering the National Youth Strategy Together’ webinar, (26th Mar) Share your views on major measures to protect children on social media Deadline 26th May, The PM and Taoiseach met members of the UK-Ireland Youth Forum, UK Young Ambassadors Update (Youth Council UK @ NYA), Government’s plan for Votes at 16, Youth Matters: State of the Nation – Regional data for young people.

If you have a YouthVoice newsletter with free opportunities or information  – get in touch! Info@youngvoicesheard.org.uk

RESOURCES:

💡The Politics Project (which coordinates Democracy Classroom) have a new one-stop Resource Hub for schools, democracy engagement practitioners and young leaders. Read more.

⭐The Centre for Youth Voice is funded by the National Lottery Community Fund and delivered by the Network of Regional Youth Work Units. They offer free training so sign up to their newsletter for the latest info. Also, visit their website to access Publications/Resources. Recommend the Typlogogy (types) of youth voice models.

⭐Youth Focus North West (YFNW) – New E‑Learning Module: Participation and Young People’s Voice using the Lundy Model:   a new Lundy Model e‑learning course, developed in partnership with Lancashire County Council, Lancashire & South Cumbria ICB, the University of Central Lancashire, and the Children’s Safeguarding Assurance Partnership. The e‑learning provides a strong foundation ahead of YFNW’s in‑person Lundy Model and Youth Participation Training, which offers deeper learning, practical tools, and opportunities for peer support. Read more in the Centre4YouthVoice Newsletter.

⭐Democracy Classroom election resources: The @ElectoralCommUK, @SeneddWalesand @childcomwaleshave just released some new resources to support schools to engage with the 2026 Senedd elections. To download, and to access a whole host of Wales-specific support, head DC’s Senedd Elections Hub: democracyclassroom.com/senedd-electio
⭐United Nations – What is meaningful Youth Participation? – Beyond Tokenism – Ensuring young people have real influence in decision making”. Youth participation is not just a checkbox. It is about real influence and shared decision-making. Read Report or Swipe through Summary

Young Voices Heard- Services  – We not only host #YouthVoiceNews but also offer services to help you mobilise your #youthvoice, including: quality assurance/assessment, training/mentoring for staff and young leaders; project management, and fundraising assistance.  Last month we supported or advised: Youth Council UK, Youth United Foundation, Shout Out UK, Be The Change Media Network and Votesat16.co.uk . DM James@youngvoicesheard.org.uk for more information.

National Lottery Community Fund

 

For other YVH recommended resources, go to the www.YoungVoiceHeard.org.uk main website / RESOURCES.

           #YouthVoiceNews Click to access previous issues

YOUTH VOICE NEWS – FEEDBACK

#YouthVoiceNews Feedback. This newsletter aims to share news, good practice, and to signpost opportunities and resources. As part of a review of next steps, I would really value your feedback in this Five-Minute Survey – What can we include more of? Too Long/Short? Weekly, Monthly? Help us stay relevant and useful to our network of stakeholders and subscribers of all ages. Click Here = Youth Voice Heard – Feedback & Consultation (Or Scan QR code)

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