Young people come together to get their views across.

Lancaster City Council article

As part of ‘Your Wellbeing District’, 30 young people and 17 adult decision makers and facilitators came together at The Storey in Lancaster for a Community Conversation.

Organised by a small group of young people from Stanley’s Community Centre and Escape 2 Make, the attendees discussed various topics including young people’s mental health, the war in Ukraine, the environment, the education system, food and poverty.

The event was busy and engaging with all five conversations taking place in a carousel, or ‘World Café’ format, at the same time. Young people and the adults enjoyed taking part and valued the experience: 

"It was a great event, one I was very pleased to be a part of. The young people seemed to value the opportunity to share their experience, thoughts and feelings in the groups," Charmaine Rothwell CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health) 

"Thanks again for running such a fantastic evening. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens next," Jeni Meadows (Lancaster District Food Poverty Alliance)

"I liked to get my point across on behalf of my classmates and my friends," Young Participant

"You're amazing, keep up the good work," Young Participant.

"Really good event, great conversations and I learned a great deal from everyone. Much respect to the youth workers/staff/people who brought the young people along," Yak Patel (Lancaster CVS).

When asked what worked best, most young people felt the conversations themselves and the nature of them. 
Comments included:

• ‘Talking was good, it was very accepting and genuine.’
• ‘They let us get our point across.'
• ‘They let us get our point through and listened.'
• ‘They didn’t interrupt us.'
• ‘Talking about different topics.'
• ‘All the sessions and meeting other people.'

The event produced a huge amount of different young people’s views and opinions on a range of topics.

Please look out for the full report and findings and join in the conversation on the Keep Connected Community Conversations page: https://keepconnected.lancaster.gov.uk/community-conversations-2 

One thing for certain is that all who took part wanted to see more similar events in the future so look out for the next young people’s community conversation.