Agenda item
Agenda
Minutes:
Annual Children and Young People’s Conference
23rd February 2017
(1pm to 3.30pm session)
IN ATTENDENCE:
Compton School
Whitefield School
Hendon School
Hasmonean School
Barnet and Southgate College
Dollis Valley Junior School
Chris Munday, Commissioning Director – Children and Young People
Ben Thomas – Strategic Lead – Children and Young People
Flo Armstrong – Head of Libraries, Workforce and Community Engagement
James Yan – Strategy Officer – Children and Young People
Lee Robinson – Commissioning Strategy and Policy Adviser
Michelle Newman – CCG
Collette McCarthy - Head of Children’s Joint Commissioning
Julie Pal – Chief Executive of Community Barnet
Jack Newton – Headteacher of Underhill
Tony Lewis welcomed participants to the event and went through housekeeping. Participants are able to film their views on their phones, take part in a big brother style diary room and answer questions on the app.
Neil Snee, Director of Commissioning (Interim), Barnet Clinical Commissioning Group gave a welcome. He outlined the importance of listening to the views of young people to inform what services for young people the council should invest in.
Steve from Meetingsphere (deliverer of the workshop) delivered a workshop to get the views of young people on mental health and wellbeing services and youth services. The following discussion questions were explored with young people. The results of the consultation will be published at a later date.
Mental health and wellbeing
· What do you worry or get anxious about?
· Where would you go to find support for mental health issues?
· What puts you off asking for help about your feelings?
· What type of support would you be comfortable using?
· The council are considering funding a website that would provide online support with a counsellor that would be available in the evenings, after school and at weekends. What do you think?
Youth services
· What are the most challenging issues facing young people in Barnet?
· What type of support should the council/youth service offer young people with these issues?
Family Friendly Barnet
· How much do you agree that Barnet/your local area is a family friendly place to live?
· How can we make Barnet more family friendly?
Cllr Thompstone closed the event by expressing the importance of getting the views of Children and Young People in informing what the council does.
Annual Children and Young People’s conference 23rd February 2017
(6pm to 8pm session)
Attendees:
VCS organisations and their young people representatives (see below)
Young people from Barnet
Chris Munday, Commissioning Director – Children and Young People
Ben Thomas – Strategic Lead – Children and Young People
Flo Armstrong – Head of Libraries, Workforce and Community Engagement
James Yan – Strategy Officer – Children and Young People
Lee Robinson – Commissioning Strategy and Policy Adviser
Michelle Newman – CCG
Collette McCarthy - Head of Children’s Joint Commissioning
Julie Pal – Chief Executive of Community Barnet
Jack Newton – Headteacher of Underhill
Tony Lewis welcomed participants to the event and went through housekeeping. Participants are able to film their views on their phones and answer questions on the app.
Chris Munday gave a welcome. Chris outlined the importance of getting the views of children and young people. Young people helped the council launch the Children and Young People’s Plan which outlines the council’s ambition to be the most Family Friendly borough by 2020. The Barnet Family Friendly video was shown.
The following VCS organisations gave short presentations:
Janet Matthewson, Young Barnet Foundation. An umbrella organisation with member organisations, some of which are here tonight, that works to support and drive new initiatives for young people.
Katy Dawes, Art Against Knives outlined the organisation runs co-created creative projects for young people that are going through challenges in life. Dollis Nail Bar has supported 241 young people. They help keep young people safe by providing a safe space and trained domestic violence specialists. They also help young people with training, healthy eating, sexual health and have their say.
Ray Booth, Barnet Mencap works with children and adults with disabilities and learning difficulties and young carers. They hold forums that capture the views of young people and making sure their voice is heard.
JoJo, Articulate.They run art projects to build the resilience of young people. Jen – youth advisor for Articulate also gave an overview of the projects she has daone including textiles that have helped her after having mental health issues. She knows runs her own charity. You can self-refer to Articulate.
Hannah from OnSide Young Person’s development group. Onside delivers youth zones which provide activities for young people. A video on this was shown. Young people pay £5 annual membership and pay 50p per activities. Activities run 7 days a week.
Steve from Meetingsphere (deliverer of the workshop) delivered a workshop to get the views of young people on mental health and wellbeing services and youth services. The following discussion questions were explored with young people. The results of the consultation will be published at a later date.
Mental health and wellbeing
· What do you worry or get anxious about?
· Where would you go to find support for mental health issues?
· What puts you off asking for help about your feelings?
· What type of support would you be comfortable using?
· The council are considering funding a website that would provide online support with a counsellor that would be available in the evenings, after school and at weekends. What do you think?
Youth services
· What are the most challenging issues facing young people in Barnet?
· What type of support should the council/youth service offer young people with these issues?
Family Friendly Barnet
· How much do you agree that Barnet/your local area is a family friendly place to live?
· How can we make Barnet more family friendly?
Supporting documents: