Young people respond to Government Green Paper

Young people in South Norfolk have set the Government four challenges to improve the lives of tomorrow's voters.

In a consultation session on the Government's Green Paper called Youth Matters, the pupils from Hobart High in Loddon, Framlingham Earl High, Long Stratton High and Hethersett High joined with South Norfolk Youth Action (SNYA) to call for:

more efficient and better targeted public transport; better education for both young people and adults on protecting the environment; more involvement by outside specialists in schools; more leisure and other facilities closer to home.

Jonathan Shortman is press spokesman for SNYA, one of the most influential new voices for young people in the region. He said:

"This group was enthusiastic and engaged, and demonstrated the potential contribution that young people can make to the district and to Norfolk."

- On transport, the group agreed that it was more efficient for public transport to be targeted at Friday nights and weekends - every 30 minutes or hour - rather than have a once-every-four-hours bus going by empty, nearly every day of the week.

- The Government wants young people to take more responsibility as citizens. But the group believed the Green Paper wording was vague, so they set forward their own views regarding this, and focused on examples like litter. They think education on keeping the streets clean should start earlier, and should also be targeted at adults."

- The group also believed that more agencies and specialists should become more involved in school personal, social and health education, where currently teachers run the lessons. Young people in the group said they would find it easier to discuss some of these issues with someone who is more independent and has more specialist knowledge.

- The group highlighted the distances young people have to travel between their home, where they socialise and where they take part in their leisure activities. The group heard examples of young people walking from outer city areas such as Hethersett and Framlingham into Norwich, and then having to return home the same way.

Anjali Stringer, the council's active citizenship worker, added:

"This consultation will continue with an SNYA action meeting on Wednesday 19th October at the council offices, and eventually, the comments will be fed back to the Government. We expect them to be listening, and then to take action."

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