Youth involvement projects
Groups and forums for young people in Hammersmith and Fulham
There are various opportunities in the borough aimed at giving young people the chance to contribute to the design, commissioning and evaluation of local services. Professionals can consult with children and young people who are trained to carry out large scale consultations with their peers. For further information on how to get involved please take a look at the groups and forums listed.
What's in it for you? (pdf, 5MB)
Youth involvement forums and opportunities
• For all opportunities see: Youth involvement leaflet PDF (196kb)
• For the latest youth involvement news see: Hammersmith & fulham youth involved newsletter Jan- March 2011 PDF (202kb)
Borough youth forum
UK youth parliament
Youth commissioners
Young advisors
Youth interview panel
Take Over Day 2011
On the 11th November 2011 Hammersmith and Fulham hosted it’s first Take Over Day. The event forms part of the National Take Over Day, launched in 2007 by the Children's Commissioner for England, to promote and encourage youth involvement by working alongside adults, trying out different jobs, taking on challenges, and being involved in decision making.
40 young people from schools across the borough took part and were involved in 15 different job shadowing, work experience roles and challenges set by different council departments. The roles that were 'taken over' included the Director of Children’s Services, Environmental Health Officers, Uniformed Enforcement Teams, Employment Officers, plus roles within Finance and Organisational Development. Challenges included planning and hosting the Take Over Day celebration event, writing for H&F Buzz Newspaper, working with the Earls Court and White City developers and Trading Standards Mystery shopping for age restricted goods.
The event was very well received by both the staff and the young people involved. All but one of the young people who took part would recommend Take Over Day to a friend, and other positive comments from the day include:
“I really enjoyed the experience as a Public Protection and Safety Officer, so much that it has made me seriously consider a career in surveying”.
"It was really interesting- a thoroughly enjoyable experience. I found it a good insight into work and different roles available.”
“Amazing, I found out so much. The experience was challenging, but I also found it fun and interesting.”
All participants were encouraged to give feedback and ideas which will be used to inform future services and provision. So far, the supporting professionals have reported that the young people’s feedback will be used:
• to inform the development of the Family Support Localities Service
• to inform the activities that are offered to young people at the Fulham Court Community Centre and how they are promoted
• to influence how the Council will use the My Mentor website in the future
• to feed into other research results to improve a range of services
• to make improvement to the LBHF website
• to re-evaluate certain finance procedures
• by the Developers of the White City and Earls Court Regeneration
Many of the service areas are maintaining links with the young people. For example, the developers of the White City and Earls Court Regeneration will be continuing to work with the young people to implement some of their ideas, and the Localities Service will form a steering group with the young people to inform the development and promotion of the service.
Three newspaper articles were written on the day, one in the Fulham Chronicle, one in Young People Now and one will feature in the January edition of H&F Buzz.
http://www.lbhf.gov.uk/Directory/News/Teenager_takes_over_tri_borough.asp#4
http://lbhfmailings.org.uk/BGN-LUV9-3BCLH8-8ERG4-1/c.aspx
It is hoped that Hammersmith and Fulham will be able to host a further Take Over Day in November 2012. Please check the website for further details from mid 2012.
NEW - Young reporters
Young reporters are young people who have an interest in journalism or photography, or that simply want to write about the things that are important to them in Hammersmith & Fulham.
They write and take photos for H&F Buzz, a quarterly magazine, which is sent to every child and young person in H&F, with the aim of letting them know what activities and services are available and where to go for advice and support.
The young people have written articles on a wide range of topics including advice on sexual health, money saving tips for young people, healthy living and life-style and album and computer game reviews. They also interview bands who are performing locally and review local activities and theatre productions for young people.
The young reporters meet every two weeks. If you or a young person you know would like to become a regular young reporter, or would like to occasionally write or take photos for H&F Buzz, please email youth_involvement@lbhf.gov.uk or call 020 8753 6232
Borough youth forum
The borough youth forum (BYF) is a 'voice' for young people in Hammersmith and Fulham who meet once a week. They plan community based projects and initiatives, develop different methods to obtain and present the views of young people to decision makers, and they work with the council and health services to give their opinion on policies, activities and services in the borough.
If you or a young person you know is aged 13-19, or up to 25 for young people with disabilities, and lives or goes to school in the borough, you/ they are welcome to get involved. Please complete the recruitment pack, email youth_involvement@lbhf.gov.uk or call 020 8753 6232
Borough youth forum recruitment pack PDF (664kb)
If you are a professional who wants to work with the borough youth forum, please complete the attached application to consult with the BYF and send to youth_involvement@lbhf.gov.uk
Application to consult with the borough youth forum PDF (32kb)
Elections - results announcement
The election results evening, held on Monday, February 20, 2012 was a great success and was attended by councillor Helen Binmore, cabinet member for children’s services, councillor Caroline Needham and a range of local professionals and friends and family of the candidates.
The event was hosted by members of the current borough youth forum and the results were announced by the Mayor of Hammersmith & Fulham, councillor Frances Stainton. A total of 3877 votes were cast - an improvement of almost 1000 votes on last year’s total.
Frederick Gill, a student from Burlington Danes Academy was elected as the member of youth parliament for Hammersmith and Fulham for 2012-13, with a grand total of 1351 votes.
Tara Lawal, a student from Phoenix high school was elected as the deputy member of youth parliament with a grand total of 674 votes.
The remaining four candidates were awarded certificates from the mayor and will continue to have lots of exciting opportunities with the borough youth forum and will have the opportunity to stand again next year if they wish. They are:
Nada Bashir (Fulham Cross) with 654 votes
Shahrukh Husain (Henry Compton) with 558 votes
Aisha Bashir (Fulham Cross) with 341 votes
Fathiya Sheikh (Fulham Cross with 299 votes)
The member and deputy member of youth parliament begun their term in office on the Tuesday, February 21, 2012, and will continue until February 21, 2013. They will attend an induction residential with all of the London region’s members and deputy members at the end of March.
To contact the member and deputy member of youth parliament - email youth_involvement@lbhf.gov.uk
See www.ukyouthparliament.org.uk
Youth commissioners
The youth commissioners are a group of young people who have been trained in the commissioning process, enabling them to be involved in making decisions on what activities and services are funded for children and young people in the borough. They meet fortnightly and are currently involved in the monitoring and evaluation of youth activities and youth clubs in the borough.
If you or a young person you know would like to become a Youth Commissioner, please email youth_involvement@lbhf.gov.uk or call 0208 753 6232
Youth commissioners training poster PDF (204kb)
Young advisors
Young people who have completed at least 50 hours volunteering on the borough youth forum or youth commissioners, and have attended a national training programme, are then given the chance to progress to become a young advisor. They are trained to carry out large scale consultations with other young people, run peer education sessions with children, advise community leaders and decision makers on how to engage other young people, and how to ‘youth proof’ their documents (make them young person friendly).
If you would like to employ the young advisors to consult on your own projects, please contact:
youth_involvement@lbhf.gov.uk 0208 753 6232
Consult with young advisors PDF (152kb)
Youth interview panel
The youth interview panel is a group of young people who have completed a training package in recruitment and selection, which has been approved by human resources, and enables them to participate in recruitment processes with Children’s Services staff as required and appropriate.
To involve young people in upcoming interviews please contact youth_involvement@lbhf.gov.uk or call 020 8753 6232
Youth interview panel recruitment leaflet PDF (366kb)
Page last updated: 07/03/2012
