This afternoon I was joined by Assay, 13, and Odia, 15, as part
of the ’11 Million Takeover Day’. This national event
organised by the Children’s Commission aims to give some of
Britain’s 11 million young people a chance to see how adults in
positions of responsibility take decisions, and to make sure they
take young people into account.
Assay and Odia both live in Lambeth and spent the morning
working with the council’s communications team putting together a
plan to involve young people in making a difference in their
area. They then presented it to me so we could have a
discussion about how it could be funded and put into action – in
much the same way as councillors would discuss other policy
proposals with council officers then take a decision on whether to
go ahead with them or not.
The presentation was very interesting. Assay and Odia
wanted to focus on environmental issues, but with a different angle
for young people of different ages. They wanted the youngest
age group to understand the link between the food on their plate
and where it comes from so they would be more conscious of what
they eat. For the older age group they proposed a programme
to get them involved in clearing up or helping restore public
spaces or buildings. All of this would fit under Lambeth’s
wider ‘Making a Difference’ campaign which we’re already using to
show what the council’s doing for local people and how local people
can get involved in their own communities.
At the end of the discussion, we agreed to include parts of the
young people’s proposals in the council’s communication and
involvement strategies. I asked what they’d thought of the
experience. Assay told me it was more interesting than being
at school and he wanted to know how to become Leader of the
Council. Odia told me she wanted to work in media or
communications, and I put her in touch with a local group who help
young people develop skills in those areas that can help lead to a
career.
I’m glad Assay and Odia enjoyed themselves. I did too, and
I learnt a lot from them. The ’11 Million Takeover Day’ is a
great initiative and I look forward to seeing more young people get
involved next year.
Assay (right) and Odia (left) explain their proposals to me
as part of the 11 Million Takeover Day
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