Minutes:
Jason and Ilana, members of West Yorkshire Youth Commission attended the meeting and provided some context on the West Yorkshire: Youth Commission: Final Report 2023 to the West Yorkshire Violence Reduction Partnership. The report is included as an Appendix to Agenda Item 9 – Update Report.
They both provided some context on how they became Members at West Yorkshire Youth Commission and explained that they work with children who are less advantaged.
They explained that there are 4 big aims of the Report, those being:
1) Attitudes and violence towards women
2) Community relationships and life
3) Rehabilitation and prevention
4) Drugs, gangs, and knife crime
They added that young people are not often listened to enough, and they highlighted the importance of a young person’s perspective. They were also keen to identify how the cost of living has an impact on violence and lower income families.
The representatives explained that they attended the ‘Big Conversation’ meeting where several responsible authorities and organisations met and discussed with young people on how to utilise their talents and/or build relationships with responsible authorities.
In the Youth Commission, the representatives explained that they take part in monthly meetings where they plan workshops and take part in conversations with young people to try and link and identify any issues across West Yorkshire.
Ilana identified that children who are excluded from school, are often those who miss out in taking part in activities in their wards. The importance of events such as the Youth Summit, being inclusive and accessible to every child was noted. Further to this, the Committee were keen to identify the mechanisms and communications in place to assist children who have been excluded from school.
Further to a question from a Committee Member, Ilana confirmed that there is currently 15 Members at West Yorkshire Youth Commission. She explained that she is keen to build on contacts and building on campaigns so that her work is more known in the community. She referred to a campaign that the Youth Commission did on TikTok. Committee Members asked her to send them the link so that they could share this more widely in the community.
The Champion for Children and Young People confirmed that she will highlight the above issues at her next cluster meeting.
The Committee requested that the Chair on behalf of the Inner North East Community Committee, write to West Yorkshire Combined Authority to understand which recommendations they will be endorsing from the West Yorkshire: Youth Commission: Final 2023 Report to West Yorkshire Violence Reduction Partnership.
Officers also confirmed that they can work with the Youth Commission in providing them contact details of different networking contacts, including Elected Members and details of all the Community Committee meetings across the city.
A suggestion was also put forward that a representative from the West Yorkshire Violence Reduction Partnership attend a future meeting.
Members also suggested that the Youth Commission should link up with the Voice, Influence and Change Team, as well as Leeds City Council’s Corporate Parenting Board.
The Committee thanked Jason and Ilana for their attendance and presentation at the meeting, and for their passionate in-sight to the work that goes on at the Youth Commission.
RESOLVED – To:
a) Note details of the West Yorkshire Youth Commission: Final 2023 Report to the West Yorkshire Violence Reduction Partnership.
b) Note the verbal update provided at the meeting.
c) Note the intention to invite a representative from West Yorkshire Violence Reduction Partnership at a future meeting.
d) Request that the Chair write to West Yorkshire Combined Authority on behalf of the Inner North East Community Committee, to understand which recommendations they will be endorsing from the Youth Commission Report.