Councils shortlisted for Beacon status over work with young people

South Norfolk Council and Norfolk County Council have been shortlisted for Beacon status for engaging young people in their work. The two councils are the only two joint bidders in England who have been shortlisted for the Beacon status category of Positive Youth Engagement.

Tim Haynes, aged 20, from Wymondham demonstrated that youth engagement work in action by shadowing South Norfolk Council Leader Vivienne Clifford Jackson. He sat beside her when she chaired this morning's important Cabinet debates on issues ranging from domestic violence to Budgets.

Afterwards Tim, who also shadowed Cllr Clifford-Jackson at a recent conference at Easton College on Gypsies and Travellers in Norfolk called "Here To Stay, said:

"I do everything I can to encourage young people to get involved, even at home when I'm talking to friends. Most young people have other interests and priorities, but they need to get involved in local government to make sure that others are not making decisions for them without taking their point of view. Everything I've seen discussed at Cabinet about the council's work with young people I have seen in practice. It's happening."

Cllr Clifford-Jackson said:

"We are thrilled at the news about the Beacon shortlist. We were tasked by our young people to give evidence of involving them in our work and we hope that by being shortlisted and hopefully winning Beacon status, we are demonstrating to them and our residents the importance we attach to this. Young people are the future of our democracy.

"Beacon status will put South Norfolk and Norfolk on the map nationally, and will demonstrate the enthusiasm our young people show, despite all the difficulties of being in rural locations."

Rosalie Monbiot, Norfolk County Council's Cabinet Member for Children's Services, said:

"This is excellent news. It's no good paying lip-service to the idea of getting young people involved, it has to be real and has to make an impact. Being shortlisted for Beacon status is recognition of that - and of the successful on-going partnership between Norfolk County Council and South Norfolk Council on Positive Youth Engagement."

Ian McArthur, who led on the preparations for the bid, and worked with young people, officers and councillors from the district and county council said:

"We are being seen as doing the right thing for young people, and I want to thank my colleagues at Norfolk County Council who have worked hard with us not just on this Beacon bid, but much more importantly on breaking down the barriers between councils and young people and getting young people much more involved.

"We are now doing much more than listening to young people, we are working with them on policy, budgets and strategies. That's good for democracy and good for Norfolk."

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