I finally got round to submitting our response to the DCSF Consultation on ‘Youth Sector Support‘ and one of the questions raised an issue I’d considered a while back.

Participation is the current ‘in term’ (although I see ‘empowerment’ is making a come back!). But while I think youth participation is in principle a good thing, its not the be all & end all. I also think too much apparent participation is in fact minority participation - it uses a model of representation rather than effectively allowing any young person to be able to participate in an organisation or service. Representation is very useful - but only if those doing the representing are effectively representing the views and needs of others (and often this is questionable).

So how do you broaden participation so that young people who are not ‘represented’ are able to have an input? (more…)

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Tags: adults, campaign, soft skills, youth work

Film from the recent training with Donegal Youth Council in Ireland

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Short film with two groups from the Youth Act programme who took part in some YoMo training at Hebden Bridge. One group is intending to raise awareness about crime and the other hopes to challenge the negative image of young people.

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Tags: campaign, events, film, positive images

This group are campaigning to get a new park for the children in their local area. They identified the Pod as a positive issue in there community which brings people together and has good facilities and activities, however there is just not enough funding. Some of the negative issues raised were: unsafe climbing frames which were small and in a big field, which could be used for a football yet there are no nets. They also recognised issues within transport as buses dodge the area, and lots of people are barred from the shop. The group then decided that a petition to neighbours for a park plan was a possible opportunity, contacting agencies and producing evidence of people views along with (more…)

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Tags: campaign, events

Heres a few pics from the cycle across Wales. We cycled roughly 150 miles taking a windy route from Chester to Anglesey. Along the way we stayed at campsites in Hendre (near Mold), Towyn, Penmaenmawr, Bangor and finally Red Wharf Bay.

The money we raise will be used to support the work YoMo are doing overseas - currently (more…)

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