A local youth council is very similar to that of a school council with just a widening of focus. It can be defined as a way of bringing young people together on a regular basis to discuss issues affecting them in their own community. Once identified, action can be taken to address these issues.
Organising a local youth council means working on the issues that affect young people’s lives directly because different issues affect different areas. From a local position, young people can make appropriate responses to issues influencing their lives, claiming a voice in their community.
Local youth councils can ensure that young people:
- get their voice heard
- are involved in important decisions
- are able to make representation of youth opinion to official groups
- create a positive image
A guide to Local Youth Councils has been written by Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council and can be downloaded by clicking here.
For help, advice or guidance on setting up a youth council contact Corporate Youth Officer - Mike Nicholls on 01256 845338 or mike.nicholls@basingstoke.gov.uk
Additional useful information on youth councils can be found below:
Youth of Basingstoke & Deane
YOB is a group of young people concerned with issues that affect young people between the ages of 11 and 19 in the Borough of Basingstoke & Deane.
Click here for more infromation about them
Hampshire County Youth Council
HCYC is a group of young people from across Hampshire who want to make a difference to your lives by influencing decision makers such as the County Council and also national and regional organisations.
Visit their website for more details www.hcycweb.net
British Youth Council
BYC is the national youth council in the UK. They promote the active citizenship of young people and work with them to develop their skills and abilities to participate in decision-making and controlling resources, encouraging them to work together to take collective action.
Visit www.byc.org.uk for more details
UK Youth Parliament
The UKYP aims to give the young people of the UK, between the age of 11 and 18 a voice, which will be heard and listened to by local and national government, providers of services for young people and other agencies who have an interest in the views and needs of young people. UKYP has the support of Prime Minister Tony Blair, Leader of the Opposition David Cameron, and the Leader of the Liberal Democrats Menzies Campbell.
For more details visit their central website www.ukyouthparliament.org.uk or the South East regional site www.southeast.ukyp.org.uk