Low turn-outs in local elections, high youth unemployment and the need to promote youth inclusion in the aftermath of the 2011 riots are just three compelling reasons why it is important to encourage young people to engage in local democratic processes and decisions on changes to their public services.

Experiences over the last decade in consulting young people about local issues have shown there to be a growing disenchantment over their ability to have a real impact on decisions.

If the challenge to keep the few who have been engaged to continue to be involved is great, the challenge of how to engage all young people must be even greater!

Who should attend?

 This interactive workshop will challenge traditional thought processes, consider examples of good practice and stimulate discussion amongst delegates to identify new ways of positive engagement of young people in local democracy and service design. It is designed for:

• executive members for childrens services
• chairs of safeguarding children boards
• chairmen and members of children and young people’s scrutiny committees
• youth engagement officers
• public engagement managers
• heads of scrutiny and democratic services and their support officers

Facilitators

The workshop will be facilitated by ELGH consultants Vanessa Rogers and David Moses OBE:

Vanessa Rogers is a renowned youth work trainer, consultant & author with her youth work resource books published worldwide by The National Youth Agency (UK) and Jessica Kingsley Publishers (UK, Ireland, USA, Australia, New Zealand, Poland, Czech Republic & Germany). As a consultant, she has been tasked with engaging young people in youth governance and consultation in ways that are both meaningful and worthwhile

David Moses has over 40 years’ local government service with experience of revitalising the scrutiny function in two major local authorities. He has personally led a number of scrutiny reviews that have received national recognition for delivering service improvements, including work the Hertfordshire Youth Advocates and Essex Youth Scrutiny Committees

Agenda

09.45 Registration

10.00 Introductions

10:10 Opening keynote speaker

10.30 Why should we engage with young people?

11:10 Break

11.20 Barriers to engagement

12.00 Why feedback is important

12.40 Lunch

13.20 Sharing examples & good practice

14.00 Developing new ideas

14.45 Reviewing the workshop

15.00 Close

Guardian Local Government Network member discount

Guardian local government network members receive a 20% discount on the standard delegate rate. 

If you're not already a member, you can sign up here - it's quick, simple and absolutely free of charge.

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Please note that we are unable to accept offline payments, except for group bookings of more than eight delegates where a booking fee applies. A non-refundable booking fee of £25 per booking (not per delegate) will be payable for offline bookings. Invoices must be paid within 14 days of issue or by 7 days from the date of the seminar, if payment is not received booked places will be released.