News Highlights 2023-2024
SDYC Annual Review - April 2023
This review by members covered the last 12 months up to March 2023. A year that was again impacted by the covid pandemic. As a result of young peoples participation, their impact made in the last 12 months includes:
What’s Changed?
Acknowledgment of long service (5 or more years) for youth council members – three long serving members received awards from SDC Chairperson at Full Council in October 2022.
SDYC joined the Votes at 16 Coalition.
Assessed and changed Standard 4 title and content of the Section 11 Audit for Gloucestershire Safeguarding Childrens Partnership
Increased profile - the new Stroud Youth Voice website was further developed and went live (early March 2023).
Youth Voice Representative (SDYC Leader) involved with ‘partner panel’ as part of recruitment for a new SDC Head of Community Services.
What’s Changing?
Social media presence is increasing
Knowledge and promotion of UN Rights Respected Schools programme is increasing
Involvement in carbon reduction projects with 2030 Community Engagement Board
Influencing SDC Decision Making, through Performance Monitoring, assessment of Council Plan and Committee Work Plans, involvement in policy and strategy development
Promotion of racial equality
SDYC Elected Officers and Leaders for 2023/24
After two rounds of elections, Stroud District Youth Council (SDYC) are delighted to announce their officer and leadership line-up for the year ahead.
Cate James-Hodges (Voting Member for Stroud Town 5 Valleys Youth Forum), was re-elected as SDYC Leader in what will be her second term, having been a member for over six years. Cate will lead a small team of members who were elected to other roles with extra responsibility: Megan Land (Voting Member for Nailsworth and Minchinhampton Youth Forum) returned as Principal Member for Environment and Alyssa Pearce (Voting member for Chalford Cubed Youth Forum) was also re-elected as Principal Member for Local Democracy. Cate, Megan and Alyssa make up the SDYC Leadership Team with the PM for Health and Wellbeing role, still vacant.
In thanking members for their support, Cate said: “I hope to use my knowledge and insight gained to guide and support members, and advocate for SDYC involvement in matters of environment, local democracy, mental and physical health, equality, and equity and much more. Our new Manifesto to be launched soon, is very exciting as it highlights our priorities concisely as well as calls upon others to join us to fight for a better present.”
Megan expressed her gratitude to being re-elected and is delighted in being able to continue the work under the Environment portfolio: “My continued involvement with the 2030 Community Engagement Board (CEB) and the Gloucestershire Youth Climate Group provides a wealth of connections and further information, to aid in the youth council’s support for carbon-neutral efforts. I hope to further the work with the CEB to put on an event for young people and educators surrounding climate anxiety and the next COP (Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change), I also hope to generally improve our outreach and internal climate efforts”.
Alyssa was equally grateful to members who supported her through the internal democratic process of SDYC. In being re-elected to continue the project work through the Local Democracy portfolio. Alyssa commented: “Over the next year I hope to further increase SDYC’s role in local decision making and profile our manifesto commitment to youth voice, youth rights and safeguarding in the Stroud district. I have previously sat on the Gloucestershire Safeguarding Childrens Partnership safeguarding audit panel and hope to be able to work with them again in the future”.
Consistency continues with the SDYC Chairperson role being democratically re-filled by Brandon Watkins (Voting Member for Nailsworth and Minchinhampton Youth Forum), who also returns for a second term. Brandon is joined by Alice Standing (Voting Member for Stroud High School) who, as Vice Chairperson takes on this role for the first time, alongside being re-elected as SDYC’s Representative to the British Youth Council.
Alice is keen to extend her experience in these roles: “My four years as an SDYC member has given me confidence and knowledge, plus many skills. To continue to be involved in youth voice work, particularly as vice-chair is especially proud for me. In representing marginalised young people and promoting better outreach connectivity, I hope to help bring about improved community cohesion”.
Occupants for the vacant roles of Principal Member for Health and Wellbeing and second the Representative to the British Youth Council, will be sought as soon as possible.
Stroud Town Awards - May 2023
It was great to have two SDYC members in Cate James-Hodges and Megan Land acknowledged at the Stroud Town Awards event on 17 May 2023 for their amazing work as leading youth voice representatives in their communities. Cate (SDYC Leader) and Megan (SDYC Principal Member for Environment) were both nominated in the Young Person of the Year category and recognised for their hard work, commitment and impact as youth voice representatives.
For more details on the awards event please go to: https://www.stroudtown.gov.uk/news/tags/Awards or
https://stroudtimes.com/stroud-town-awards-gongs-dished-out-to-the-great-and-the-good/
SDYC Manifesto Launch 2023/24
Stroud District Youth Council are delighted to officially launch their Manifesto for 2023/24. A campaign series will now commence, profiling each statement on social media – look out for #ManifestoMondays
The manifesto statements reflect the official position of Stroud District Youth Council (SDYC) on matters of concern to them and those young people whom they represent.
Cate James-Hodges, SDYC Leader commented: “We’ve made progress on several important projects and initiatives over the last year. Subsequently, many statements have been revised for this year’s manifesto, in keeping with the changes to young people’s opinions, and the relevance to their issues of concern.”
The statements have been decided upon democratically by members of SDYC and typically stem from discussion, debate and research carried out by the members.
Cate added: “Our social media campaign titled #ManifestoMondays is very important in sending a message to those we need to influence. It’s success last year was significant and we hope to build on that again for the benefit of young people.”
The Manifesto document was approved by SDYC members at the Main Group Meeting on Monday 22 May 2023.
