Agenda and minutes

At the last meeting it was agreed that Rose would chair this meeting. Leonora would be Vice-Chairman.

Noted that Hazel was the Chairman for the meeting and Rose was the Vice-Chairman.

            RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 1 December 2015 be taken as a correct record subject to minutes 168 – Guest Speaker – Peter Dilley Interact ‘Peter Dilley gave a short presentation about InterAct, which was a project led by Essex County Council for Voluntary Youth Services. He advised that he was looking for views of young people on the local opportunities for volunteering and asked Youth Councillors to give their opinions and complete a survey questionnaire.’ Being replaced with ‘Peter Dilley gave a short presentation about the charity InterAct, and some project work on Youth Volunteering.  The project was led by Essex County Council for the Voluntary Youth Services. He advised that he was looking for views from young people on the local opportunities for volunteering and asked Youth Councillors for their opinions and to complete a survey questionnaire.’

Di advised that the Harlow Youth Council were attending to observe the EFYC meeting. Harlow Youth Councillors advised that they were currently going through a similar scrutiny process which EFYC had been through with the Youth Engagement Review Task and Finish Panel.

The Youth Council Support Worker, Alan Webb advised that Harlow Youth Council had just elected new members in December 2015 and some of those Members were in attendance along with the Youth & Citizenship Manager Christine Selby and Alex Norton from Youth Commissioner with Essex County Council.

Matthew explained the process and training which Youth Councillors had received with the Epping Forest District Council Officers and the British Youth Council, the events and projects that they had been involved in, throughout their two year term and how they had transferred these skills and information to their wider peer group in the District. Matthew also explained the process that EFYC had been involved in with their Youth Engagement Review Task and Finish Panel.

Leonora spoke about the project work and additional group meetings, that took place alongside the Youth Council meetings and training.

Joe spoke about one of their latest projects, #urnotalone which had been highlighted by their Youth Conference and involved information on bullying. This involved Youth Councillors gathering information about how to help young people, sign posting them to relevant organisations, promoting the issue with USB wristbands which were given to all year 9 secondary school pupils in the district and Youth Councillors delivering assembles to the secondary schools themselves.

Officers from Harlow Youth Council extended the offer to Epping Youth Councillors to either attend a future meeting or event.

ACTION: Di to liaise with Harlow Council Youth about future dates.

To discuss the elections for 2016-2018.

Di advised that following the completion of the Youth Engagement Review Task and Finish Panel and the Cabinet’s decision for funding of the Youth Council to remain for 2016/18, Youth Councillors were asked whether they would like to extend their term of office from April 2016 until November 2016, when the new elections would now take place.

·                     Matthew, Leonora, Chloe, Fred, Adam, Joe, Hazel and Rose confirmed that they would be willing to continue although they would be absent for the exam period between May-June 2016;

·                     Ashwin would be available;

·                     Doncho would be available till July (apart from the exam period);

·                     Fatemeh would let Di know; and

·                     Imogen, Tom and Olivia would be leaving at the end of their term of office. (Although if required Tom and Olivia would help out with the elections process).

Matthew asked Harlow Youth Councillors about their election process. Katy (Harlow Youth Councillor) advised that their elections were open to young people aged 13 to 19, who were residents or attend schools in Harlow and were held town wide in all secondary schools in December and Youth Councillors were elected for a two year term of office.

Di advised that Jaymey had raised the idea of having a Husting day at the Civic Offices and possibly an interview panels for the next elections, to simulate the adult selection process. Matthew advised that Youth Essex Assembly also filmed husting video’s which were uploaded for voters to view which could be a possibility.

ACTION: Officers to take the ideas to the next strategy panel for discussions.

Youth Councillors to feedback on events they have attended.

1.         Jack Petchey Achievers Network

Joe advised that he had attended the Jack Petchey Achievers Network, where they had spoken about publicising different charities and how the charities could work with schools.

2.         Christmas Intergeneration Event

Matthew advised that a few Members had attended the Intergeneration afternoon dinner at Grove Court (Sheltered Housing Scheme), Waltham Abbey, where they had held a raffle and met residents.

Louis congratulated Members on collecting £200 worth of prizes for the raffle and raising £60 for the Grove Court Garden Bench Fund.

3.         Christmas Social – Top Golf

Adam advised that Members had attended the Christmas social at Top golf which had been good fun and an opportunity to team build.

To consider projects for 2016.

1.         Updated Tube Map

Louis advised that the updated Tube Map was near completion with the help of Megan from the Red Balloon Family, which would be relaunched shortly.

2.         Project Ideas for 2016

Di asked members about a new project concerning Dementia Awareness, which had been suggested from the conclusions of the Youth Conference in 2015. The project could be around a young persons guide on how to spot, deal and get help with dementia following training they had received.   

The members discussed options for the next project which included employment for young people, transgender awareness, further information on employment and jobs for young people, a young persons guide to what happens after you leave school by young people, life skills including banking, bills etc, interviews and how to prepare, mental health issues effecting young people, first aid/asking for help and the differences between 911/999 ,education/career choices and back up plans to consider, and stress awareness.

The Youth Council Support Worker, Alan Webb advised that Harlow Youth Council had applied for funding for Mental Health training for their members, so that they could be trained up and become champions within their secondary schools. Unfortunately  their funding bid had not been successful.

Gill advised that the West Essex Partnership had placed Mental Health issues high on their agenda and that there may be some funding opportunities, if Epping and Harlow Youth Councils approached them together.

Gill advised that the ideas the suggested would be discussed at the next Officers strategy meeting.  

Youth Councillors to report.

Louis advised that display boards required updating and requests for new pictures and information the Youth Councillors wanted to display could be provided by Louis or Di.

ACTION: YOUTH COUNCILLORS wanted to update their school display boards to contact Di/Louis.

There were no further updates from the schools, although Rose advised that the Headmistress at Braeside, Gillian Haddon and Joe advised that the Head teacher at Davenant Foundation, Chris Seward would be retiring at the end of the academic year 2016.

Louis advised that new suggestion boxes had been ordered, which were lockable, sturdy and less likely to be vandalised. They would also be put in a more visible location within the schools.

Chloe asked for Harlow College to be included in the updates.

ACTION: CHLOE to find out contact details of teacher within Harlow College who Di would be able to contact for inclusions in the display boards and updates.

Di to award the Youth Council Cup.

The Youth Council Cup was presented to Chloe for her enthusiasm, reliability, support and commitment to the Youth Council. She had overcome her fears and nerves and pushes herself to do things that she would not have done at the beginning of her term of office. Chloe had been invited to attend the Chairman’s Civic Dinner on 18 March 2016 with the other winners of the Council Cup.

Matthew/Tom to report.

Matthew advised that the responsibility of the Young Essex Assembly (YEA) had now transferred to the Community Engagement Team.

Elections for the YEA would be taking place in November 2016 and anyone interested in applying could speak to Matthew for further information. 

Matthew to report.

Matthew advised that he was an official Member of Youth Parliament (MYP) and no longer a shadow member. The YP were tackling their national campaign which was ‘to tackle racial and religious discrimination’. 

1.         Woodcraft Folk, Waltham Abbey

Louis advised that there had been a request by Lynn Sheldrick from Woodcraft Folk to be included within their tubemap and event list.

ACTION: Di to invite Lynn Sheldrick to attend the1 April 2016 future meeting.

(a)        The Chairman for the next meeting would be Rose.

(a)          Notices by Diane;

(b)          Notices by Louis;

(c)          Any other Notices; and

(d)          Youth Councillor Notices.

(a)                  Notices by Diane

·                     Prevent Assemblies – The first assembly had taken place in Debden Park on 7 January 2016 and further assemblies had been booked at Davenant Foundation on 2 February 2016 and King Harold on 3 February 2016. These assemblies were part of the prevent agenda which included the following elements;

Ø  Prevent is one of four work strands which make up the government‘s counter-terrorism strategy. The aim is to reduce the risk to the UK and its interests overseas from terrorism.

Ø  Pursue – focuses on detecting, investigating and disrupting terrorist threats to the UK and our interests overseas.

Ø  Protect – aims to reduce the vulnerability of the UK and UK interests overseas to terrorist attack. This includes aviation security for both cargo and passengers.

Ø  Prepare – aims to minimise the impact of any attack, manage any incidence of an ongoing attack and recover quickly and effectively

Ø  Prevent – aims to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism.

·                     Jack Petchey Award – Di advised that Chloe had been nominated by her peers as she was hard working, approachable and she had grown in  confidence since joining the Youth Council.

(b)                  Notices by Louis;

·                     Volunteering Day – All Youth Councillors were asked whether they were attending the Volunteering Day at Chingford Plain to clear the brambles and trees working with the City of London. Numbers were required as the equipment and lunch needed to be pre-booked. Matthew, Tom, Imogen, Leonora, Fatemeh, Chloe, Ashwin, Joe, Adam, Olivia, Hazel and Rose were attending and some with friends which totalled 23.

·                     Young Citizen of the Year 2016 – The winner of the Young Citizen of Year 2016 would be announced at the Chairman’s Civic Awards Evening on 18 March 2016.

To note that the next meeting will be held on Tuesday 9 February 2016 at 19.30 – 21.00 at the Civic Offices.

The next meeting would be held on Tuesday 9 February 2015 in the Council Chamber, Civic Offices.