SCIE Guide 11: Involving children and young people in developing social care

Case study 12: Loughborough Youth Affairs, Youth Service

Service provided by organisation

Works with young people aged 11-25 years to enhance their personal and social development as well as create and develop partnerships with other agencies. Currently operates approximately 40 groups.

Characteristics of children/young people involved

The core age group is between 13 and 19 years old and includes those not in education, refugees and asylum seekers, young people with mental health difficulties and disabled young people.

How participation has been developed

Giving young people a voice is a central principle of Loughborough Youth Affairs, and participation is deeply embedded in its practice.

Participation is written into the organisation's mission statement, and through the project, the county council has adopted a youth charter written by young people.

The project has an open door policy to new members, and groups are accessible to the individual communities that they work with. Service delivery plans are developed with young people at the beginning of the work, and each group receives training about political campaigning and influence. Issues being addressed by current groups include:

the establishment of a youth council to influence local decision-making
Asian men's views about police stop-and-search
asylum seeker's experiences of living in Loughborough.

Groups have also produced reports and held presentation events with MPs and local decision-makers.

Every 12 weeks, staff and young people in different groups assess what they have done and what they want to do. Young people can attend and contribute to any staff meeting. Many of the projects are run by young volunteers. Loughborough Youth Affairs also runs workshops about participation for outside organisations; these have included the involvement of young people as facilitators.

Changes or improvements as a result of children and young people's participation

Local services reflect what young people want and are better able to meet their needs.
Groups have fed into the development of local strategies concerning youth crime, which has developed positive relations with local police.