Projects and Issues Being Tackled
Introduction
To enable members to deliver on the objectives of SDYC, projects and issues are democratically agreed annually and updated throughout the year by SDYC members. This work forms the bulk of what members do from month to month.
Identified through consultation and in some cases on-going work with other organisations, the projects and issues are acknowledged as being matters of concern to young people. The current list was approved for the 2022/23 year, at the SDYC Annual General Meeting on Monday 30th May 2022. They will be reviewed in March or April 2023.
Recognition is given to the need for consistent approaches to this work, in which to achieve sustainable change - its for this reason, that many projects and issues are ‘carried over’ from one year to the next.
The work associated with these projects and issues are usually grouped into broad themes and relate to some parts of the SDYC Manifesto.
Project Teams and Focus Groups (made up of SDYC Members) exist for most of the themes stated below. Each project team and focus group takes direction from and reports to the SDYC Main Group, which subsequently makes the final decisions on all matters. Those without a dedicated team or group are worked upon directly by the SDYC Main Group.
Project Teams are defined by its work on one project only. Whereas Focus Groups have multiple projects.
The Leadership Team plays a supporting role to each project team and focus group, but also carries out the work involving more complex matters, as well as interacting with adult decision-makers.
Here each Project Team and Focus Group is listed along with their relevant manifesto statements.
* Denotes inclusion in our Manifesto
Anti-Bullying Project Team
Principal Member for Anti-Bullying - currently vacant
Many current and previous members have raised personal experiences of bullying. This led to a research project on policies and practices of community organisations, including schools. We learnt that many variations exist and little knowledge is known about the causes of bullying and the impact. Subsequently a district-wide online consultation project was designed and launched by SDYC. We are currently working on the findings.
*Anti-Bullying: SDYC will consult with the youth population of the district regarding their experiences of bullying in schools, communities and homes with view to developing a future anti-bullying campaign.
Young People’s Health & Wellbeing Focus Group
Principal Member for Health and Wellbeing - Morgan Smith.
C-Card Training: C-Card Training will be delivered by The Eddystone Trust who are the commissioned provider for sexual health education and condom distribution Gloucestershire.
*Disability, Learning Difficulties & Neurodiversity Awareness: The stigma and lack of teaching in and around disabilities, learning difficulties and neurodiversity inc ADHD, Dyslexia and Autism, must be addressed. We believe that people should be learning about these, especially in schools, in which to reduce the discrimination and ignorance that surrounds them. We must promote acceptance and inclusivity at all times.
Impact of Covid Pandemic: Profile the impact of covid pandemic on young people.
*Improving School Nursing: SDYC believes that students should have access to good quality school nursing.
*Improving Sexual Health Services: SDYC believe that young people should be able to access good quality sexual health education and services. SDYC will work with Gloucestershire County Council’s commissioned provider to improve sexual health services and reduce STIs. National sexual health body Brook website- https://www.brook.org.uk/ . The Eddystone Trust website- https://eddystone.org.uk/
*Mental Health & Emotional Wellbeing: SDYC will work with NHS Clinical Commissioning Group to improve mental health and emotional wellbeing.
Pressures and stress regarding school education and exams: Promote access to Kooth and other relevant mental health support services in relation to school and exam stress and other causes of poor mental health.
*Youth Friendly GP Surgeries: SDYC will work with NHS Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and local GP Surgeries to create a framework that enables surgeries to meet the needs to young people. CCG website- https://www.gloucestershireccg.nhs.uk/
*Young Persons Mental Health First Aid Training: SDYC Members will be offered mental health first aid training on an annual basis.
Updates from Healthy Lifestyle Officer: Receive regular updates from SDC Healthy Lifestyle Officer at Health Focus Group.
Young People and Local Democracy Focus Group
Principal Member for Local Democracy - Alyssa Pearce
*Lowering Voting Age to 16: SDYC believes that the voting age in local and national elections and referenda should be lowered to aged 16 and subsequently supports the national Votes at 16 campaign. Get more involved with Votes at 16 Coalition. British Youth Council website- https://www.byc.org.uk/
*Statutory Youth Voice: We call on the government to make provision of a youth voice vehicle, a statutory requirement for every local authority (including county, district, unitary, metropolitan districts and London boroughs in England and Wales; local councils in Northern Ireland; and unitary authorities in Scotland). We will also lobby local authorities in Gloucestershire to follow the example of Stroud District Council in creating a youth voice vehicle their geographical area.
*Voter Registration: SDYC believes that reform of the voter registration system should take place - principally moving from a current ‘opt-in’ system to one that enables people to ‘opt-out’.
*Youth Voice Safeguarding: SDYC believes that children and young people cannot be adequately safeguarded, unless they know their rights and are able to exercise all their rights according to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child UNCRC).
Leadership Team
Adopted Lords: Redevelop relationship with previously ‘Adopted Lords’
*Influencing SDC Decision Making: SDYC will strive to have greater involvement in Stroud District Council (SDC) decision-making on matters of concern to young people. Continue involvement with SDC’s Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Policy. Continue involvement in SDC Performance Monitoring. Continue involvement with Leisure and Wellbeing Strategy work / consultation.
Interact with County Councillors: Interact with County Councillors, particularly regarding health and education issues.
Interact with Members of Parliament: Interact with Members of Parliament for Stroud and Cotswold on a wide range of issues being worked upon by SDYC, particularly those related to national matters.
Interact with SDC political group leaders: Further develop relationship with SDC political group leaders – particularly about climate change.
Other Projects and Issues
Hear by Right: Involvement with SDC Hear by Right assessment.
Local Rail Transport: Support the campaign for a second Train Station for Stonehouse.
Neighbourhood Watch Association: Continue links with Neighbourhood Watch Association.
*Promotion of Racial Equality: As a group of diverse young people that function in a representational role, Stroud District Youth Council are acutely aware of the need to educate everyone in our communities about social matters. Young people can face many forms of prejudice and inequality as they grow up – which is unacceptable. However, we recognise that just because of their ethnicity and skin colour, those with a Black or Asian heritage or any ethnic minority background, can face additional discrimination their whole life – this should not be happening. We look to institutions in our society to properly work together, to ensure equality and justice consistently improves for everyone. The opportunity to enable young people from all cultures and ethnic origins to be part of this change, should not be missed. Equality and justice are not lone destinations, but a combined lifelong journey for all of us.
Recruitment & Selection of Youth Officer: Involvement with the recruitment/selection of an SDC youth work officer.
Young People’s Rights in Education: Promotion of UNICEF Rights Respecting Schools Program.
Young People’s Travel Needs: Work with Gloucestershire Community Rail Partnership to explore the outcomes from the survey to meet young people’s travel needs.
Youth Voice promotion: Continue to increase social media presence.
Environment Project Team
Principal Member for Environment - Megan Land
*Environment, Carbon Neutral & Climate Emergency 2030: As the lead youth voice organisation in the district, Stroud District Youth Council will continue to encourage young people and all educators to be actively involved in the efforts to become carbon neutral and address climate and ecological emergency by 2030. Continue work with SDC on their 2030 strategy and master plan. Continue involvement with the 2030 Community Engagement Board – SDYC x 2 Reps. Pursue potential involvement with Gloucestershire Youth Climate Group.