Issue - meetings

To consider Report No. ACE2501(copy attached), which sets out a Council led plan to deliver structured support and opportunities for young people in the Borough.

The Cabinet considered Report No. ACE2501, which set out a Council led plan to deliver structured support and opportunities for young people in the Borough.

Members were advised that the plan outlined a proposed approach to supporting young people, up to the age of 24, to help improve opportunities and support them to live happy, healthy and rewarding lives. The plan would focus on four key priorities for 2025/26:

1.     Raising young voices

2.     Providing safe spaces and trusted relationships

3.     Raising aspirations and opportunities

4.     Supporting better physical and mental health

During discussion, Members commented on the level of consultation, as set out in Section 3.7 of the Report, and the presence of representatives of Rushmoor Youth Voice (RYV) at the meeting. RYV had requested to ask questions of the Cabinet around young peoples’ engagement with Council initiatives, policy and decisions making and the preferred model for a youth hub in the Borough. In response, it was advised that the Council were looking to consult wider across the Borough, in particular with young people. The Cabinet welcomed ideas from RYV on how to better engage through platforms such as social media and targeted surveys and would provide a space to allow young people to come and be heard. In respect of a youth hub provision, again the Cabinet would welcome input from young people, to ensure any space provided met the needs of the users.

The Cabinet RESOLVED that

i.                 the plan and associated approach to supporting and engaging with all young people, with a concerted effort to reach young people who experience disadvantage, be endorsed,

ii.                the longer term approach to developing further iterations of the plan (post 2026) which seeks to increase young peoples’ role in influencing the work of the Council, be endorsed, and;

iii.              the exploration of longer term delivery models, specifically the concept of a hub for young people, be supported.