Author: Editor

“YouthWashing - You have seen it, even if you have not had a word for it. A photograph on page fourteen of an annual report. Three young people, usually doing something that photographs well, seated at a table with nine older professionals. Everyone is smiling. The caption says something about meaningful engagement. Somewhere in the same document, a sentence beginning with ‘we are committed to amplifying young voices’ sits inside a strategy that young people did not write, were not consulted on or co-produced in any substantive way, and will not be asked to evaluate.That is youth-washing. And it is everywhere." Millicent Wenlock, Beyond Consulting, is the featured Blog in a new YVNEWS feature from the Be the Change Network. ....⬇️ Also in your  YOUTHVOICENEWS  ⭐NEW RESOURCE: Informal Democratic Education Practice…

“The future will not be built for young people. It will be built with them—and if we are wise, we will trust them not only to inherit that future, but to lead it now" says UNDP Lesotho Resident Rep in Celebration of International Youth Day from YVNews Recommended Reads  ....⬇️ Also in your  YOUTHVOICENEWS - BITESIZE EDITION ⭐British Citizen YOUTH Awards (up to 18yrs) - Deadline 31st August, Nominate Now ⭐Govt consultation on Youth Voice 'Empowerment' - Deadline extended end Sept ⭐Annual Youth Voice Census Results - Youth Emp UK, 1oth Sept midday - Join Us £3.5m to transform youth leadership in sport - Access Sport co-design youthvoice to action 👀RECOMMENDED READS/GOOD PRACTICE - Jacqueline Saline Olweya, James Sloam, RugbyLeague 👀Votes@16Watch 💡OPPORTUNITIES/HAVE YOUR SAY- for all ages, includes advisory groups/…

"Alienated, ignored—and stuck at home with mum and dad. Young adults are locked out from the future they’re ready to shape". In this insightful analysis of several pieces of research and polling into what 'young people' think, Marie Le Conte is YVNews Recommended Read of the week ....⬇️ Also in your  YOUTHVOICENEWS and DIGEST.. ⭐NEW Govt consultation on Youth Voice 'Empowerment' programmes open ⭐CYPN Conference on Youth Matters - youthvoiceheard? ⭐EU hosts conference on Children/YP participation in Dublin - UK missing out? ⭐DCMS & CABINET OFFICE sign #PowerofYouthCharter - promises? action? ⭐£5m investment in Votes at 16 Research PhDs - how does that compare with delivery budgets? ⭐Children's Commissioner (Eng)survey reached 600,000 - they want to be listened to! 👀RECOMMENDED READS/GOOD PRACTICE/CASE STUDIES/ SPOTLIGHTS @NationalChildrenBureau, Durham County Council, Devon Youth…

"Here in the USA, we do not have youth voice baked into our institutions, and so we have to be intentional about creating those spaces ... Equally important is preparing adults to accept and embrace youth expertise," is YVNews quote of the week from USA Psychology Professor Regina Langhout, UC - Santa Cruz, in YouthVoiceNews - USA Spotlight below...⬇️ Also this week in your  YOUTHVOICENEWS and DIGEST.. ⭐NEWS: Andy Burnham - How I will support yp across the UK (video) ⭐NEWS: Scottish Youth Parliament calls on new PM to rethink social media ban ⭐NEWS: NUS Schools calls for students to shape its direction as a national voice in democracy ⭐NEWS: Votes at 16 Bill delayed until Autumn ⭐NEWS: Govt Youth Strategy Conference (CYPNow) - one year/hearing youth voice? ⭐NEWS: National…

"I have been in spaces where young people were genuinely listened to, trusted with information, supported to understand the context, and taken seriously as part of the decision-making process. I have also seen spaces where young people were invited in, asked for their view, thanked for their contribution, and then the real decisions happened somewhere else. The difference is not usually the meeting structure. The difference is power." William Sarenden - Quote of the week from Recommended Read - "One Person Cannot Represent a Generation - YouthVoice, Power-Sharing and Meaningful Participation"⬇️ ⬇️  Also this week..  YOUTHVOICENEWS and DIGEST.. ⭐NEWS: 'Local Voices - National Change', National Children's Bureau 3.5 million lottery grant to empower #youthvoice on poverty ⭐NEWS - Youth Council UK Chair speaks out on social media restrictions challenge to…

"Heard Not Handled" quote of the week - is the title of Participation Peoples latest podcast in the good practice section ⬇️ I love its directness, both affirming good practice, and challenging bad. Also this week..  YOUTHVOICENEWS and DIGEST.. ⭐NEWS - Roadshow Response report to Youth Strategy: Youthvoice - challenges and call to action ⭐NEWS - Social Media Ban: what's the point of consultation if there is no feedback? ⭐NEWS - Why Minister Stephanie Peacock MP signed the Power of Youth Charter, Big Issue ⭐NEWS -King's Birthday Honours update: recognising and celebrating young changemakers ⭐GOOD PRACTICE Roundup: National Lottery, PeerPower, ParticipationPeople, ScottishYouth Parlt 👀RECOMMENDED READS: Laura Lundy, Marc Harris, James Sloam ⭐ROUNDUPS: Newsletters (DCMS youth team); Votes at 16Watch, 💡OPPORTUNITIES - for all ages, includes advisory groups 📢HAVE YOUR SAY…

2026: Kings Birthday Youth Honours: Congratulations to: Mikey Akers MBE, Alexia Williams MBE,  and Kabir Kaul BEM for their exceptional public service as young people (details below). They bring the running total  YVH #Campaign4YouthRecognition's Youth Honours List (Case Studies) to 79. The campaign identifies and recognises those young people whose exceptional contributions to public life makes them inspiring role models for others to follow. The stories of those aged up to 30 in the UK, are shared in the Case Study list to inspire more nominations for either the Honours lists and you can find links and tips here. Or consider three other national awards schemes - the Diana Awards, Pride of Britain Awards, and British Youth Citizen Awards. Whilst the full King's New Years Honours list of all ages will include…

"The future isn't built by people who think exactly the same. It's built by people who find enough common ground to move forward together," quote of the week from Millicent Wenlock on the #Powerof Youth Day theme - 'Common Ground' ⬇️ YOUTHVOICENEWS and DIGEST.. ⭐NEWS - DCMS Minister signs charter that promises youthvoice will continue to be heard Reaction & Editorial ⭐NEWS - Democratic Engagement fund launched - youthvoice prepared is youth voice empowered ⭐NEWS - 61 new 'youthvoice to action' Ambassadors - #iwillMovement refresh ⭐NEWS - Milburn Review hears youthvoice - "youth voice census + lobbying/campaign = YV heard" ⭐NEWS - Your Vote Week reaches 700,00o yp - Electoral Commission 👀Recommended Read - Millicent Wenlock on Common Ground ⭐|LOCAL Roundup - Stornoway, Bedford, London ⭐ NEWSLETTERS Roundup: DCMS Youth team,…

This year marks the tenth anniversary of my Young Voices Heard initiative - a hybrid movement/consultancy, whose overall aim has been to increase the role, quality and influence of youthvoice and young leaders in public life. It has evolved over time and is currently focusing on producing a sector Newsletter whilst still generating a small income to cover costs.  I still try to advocate and campaign for system change and better standards. Today #youthvoice is undergoing a bit of a renaissance with dozens of participation initiatives, with commentators and experts queuing up to critique approaches or offering support on how to "do it". Perhaps votesat16 is a bit of stimulus for that. But its also the result of the cumulative effect of the sectors most experienced reaching positions of influence,…

"If we’re serious about building youth infrastructure that works, young people can’t be the last voice in the room, and relationships can’t be the first thing we cut." quote of the week from Lucy Read, (Future Views Now) in Recommended Reads. ⬇️ #YouthVoiceNews is now posted bimonthly, meaning this is another BUMPER issue packed with two weeks worth of news, features, opps and resources! ⭐NEWS Power of Youth Day - @iwillmovement Are You Ready? ☑️Take the Youth Voice News Power of Youth Challenge! ⭐NEWS Parliamentary inquiry in to V16 prep with #youthvoice ⭐NEWS In Brief round up - Young Trustee Movement, Belfast, Bridgend, Wolverhampton, ⭐ FEATURE Recommended Reads - Abbey McLatchie, Lucy Read, Kirsty Beeston, Carole Pugh, LeadersUnlocked, Caroline Schindler (Canada) ⭐RESOURCE: Good Practice resource ⭐ NEWSLETTERS roundup: DCMS Youth…