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Ministers and Members of Parliament, alongside leading figures from the world of policing, crime and policy are among those giving evidence to the British Youth Council’s Youth Select Committee on 5th and 12th July as part of an inquiry into knife crime.
The inquiry comes as a result of a UK-wide ballot of 1.1 million young people aged 11 to 18, in which young people declared knife crime their biggest concern.
More than 100,000 people signed a Parliament and Government petition demanding a debate on knife crime- resulting in Parliament debating the issue in March. Research from the House of Commons Library showed that knife crime, particularly where it affects young people, has been a ‘persistent and growing concern’ for successive governments.
Parliament’s Youth Select Committee gives young people the opportunity to scrutinise and hold inquiries into topics that matter to them. Following a call for written evidence, the 2019 Youth Select Committee will be hearing from a range of witnesses on 5 and 12 July inside the Grimmond Room of the House of Commons, usually used by MPs.
Rachel Ojo, Chair of the Youth Select Committee from Essex, said:“Young people have made it very clear that knife crime continues to be a significant concern.
“The Youth Select Committee want to hear from a whole range of people on this issue so we can find solutions that will have a demonstrable impact of the lives of young people.”
Rt. Hon John Bercow MP, Speaker of the House of Commons said:“Every year the Youth Select Committee play a vital role in raising awareness about the issues affecting young people across the country.
“This year the Committee’s determination to tackle the epidemic of knife crime is something that I wholly support. I will be following this pioneering Committee as they investigate the scourge of knife crime and I eagerly anticipate their report.”
Now in its eighth year, the Youth Select Committee is a British Youth Council initiative, supported by the House of Commons. The eleven members of the Youth Select Committee are aged 11-18 and include Members of the UK Youth Parliament, Youth Councillors, a Young Mayor and representatives from each of the devolved nations.
The two evidence sessions will be open to the public and broadcast live on Parliament TV and UK Parliament YouTube.
At the British Youth Council, we believe young people should have a say on issues that affect them. When young people take part in our programmes and events, they gain essential skills, confidence and knowledge on how they can be heard and create change. The British Youth Council has been successfully giving young people a platform to engage with decision-makers and have a say on issues that affect them for over 70 years. Your support today will ensure we are around into the next 70 years to continue to empower young people to be inspiring change makers.
A former youth representative said: “The British Youth Council has made me a better person on the whole. Hand on heart, it has changed my life. Before, I could not communicate with other people efficiently and did not know about the magnitude of the power of my voice and what other young people can do.
“I now have the ability to publicly speak in a confident manner, including speaking at the House of Commons. It has opened so many more doors, I am now a confident leader. I highly recommend more young people to take part in Youth Voice in the British Youth Council.”
A small regular donation to the British Youth Council of £10 per month would enable even more young people to take part in our programmes, develop their skills and become agents of change. By making a regular donation, you are making an investment into a future where young people are empowered to influence and inform the decisions that affect their lives. Your support is essential in creating a world where young people take an active role in society. Thank you!
As part of Small Charities Week, we are celebrating the fantastic work of the British Youth Council made possible by our generous community of supporters, funders and partners. Thank you.
The former Chair of the British Youth Council, Anna Rose Barker, has been appointed MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list for her dedication to promoting the voices of young people.
Anna Rose Barker MBE, was a trustee of the youth-led charity, the British Youth Council. Anna joined the board in 2015 as Vice Chair for Participation and Development before being elected as Chair in 2017. Within her 3 year tenure at the British Youth Council she was recognised for her passion and distinguished service to young people across the country.
Commenting on the appointment, Jo Hobbs, Chief Executive of the British Youth Council said “I’m absolutely delighted that Anna Rose Barker has been awarded an MBE. Anna was a force for good within the sector, played a paramount role in shaping the future of our charity, and remained dedicated to her role and the young people we serve.
“It’s important young people have a say on the biggest issues facing the UK and its also important they’re recognised for their contribution to social change”
Celebrating the news, Anna Rose Barker MBE, former Chair of the British Youth Council, said “It really is a privilege to be recognised in this way.
“There are so many young people across the country who are dedicated to social action and bringing about change for their communities and I hope this inspires even more young people to be active citizens.”
The British Youth Council’s trustees, who are aged 16-25, are elected and appointed to oversee the strategic and financial direction of the charity.
The British Youth Council is looking for people aged 16-25 who are motivated by a belief in the work of the British Youth Council to achieve our vision of the world where all young people are respected and able to influence and inform decisions that affect their lives or on which they have strong opinions.
The British Youth Council really is governed by young people for young people. Our board of trustees is made up of 13 people who are elected or appointed. The board not only sets the strategic direction of the organisation, but they also monitor progress, shape our activities and act as ambassadors and spokespeople for the British Youth Council in the media and elsewhere.
While your first goal as a trustee is to serve your peers and the British Youth Council, it is also a way to build your experience and networks, develop a broad range of skills and help shape the future of a world where all young people have a say and are heard.
We would encourage all ages to apply to bring both representations of those we serve alongside experience of governance. The British Youth Council needs a diverse, inclusive spread of ages and talents.
The deadline for applications is Monday 8th July 2019 at 9am.
Find out more information
The children’s charity, NSPCC, has released data showing that children and young people are facing a rising tide of racial hate crimes. Reported incidences of racially motivated abuse and bullying have increased by one fifth since 2015-16.
“I’m heartbroken to hear of the racism young BME students are facing in schools across the country and, regrettably, not shocked because their stories are very similar to my own”, says Larissa Kennedy, Trustee of the British Youth Council. In 2015 young people across the UK voted for racism and religious discrimination as one of the top five issues facing young people in the annual Make Your Mark ballot. This prompted the Youth Select Committee to undertake an inquiry into the issue in 2016.
“The Youth Select Committee received evidence from a range of young people sharing their experience of racial and religious discrimination, both in their communities and in schools,” says Kennedy. The Committee made a range of recommendations regarding actions that could be taken to better support schools and teachers to educate around this issue and to tackle racism when it does happen.
In the joint ministerial foreword to the government response, representatives of the Home Office, Department for Education and Department for Communities and Local Government stated “We are clear that no child should live in fear of racism or bullying. To this end, we have sent a clear message to schools that they need to challenge and tackle all forms of bullying and discrimination, including racism and religious discrimination.” In this response the government made no new commitments to tackle the issues raised by young people.
Whilst the sentiments of the Ministers were right, the British Youth Council believe it is time for action. Between attainment gaps, erasure from the national curriculum, disproportionate expulsions, discriminatory dress codes and these reports of racist incidents in schools, education is a right that young BME students are not currently being fully afforded. We must not only prevent and tackle racist incidents but institutional racism in the education system. The British Youth Council renews it’s call on the government to listen to young people and to work with us to actively eradicate racism in schools.
Download the Youth Select Committee’s Report on ‘Racism and Religious Discrimination’
The British Youth Council have partnered with Fledglink to deliver UK Youth Parliament’s ‘Make Your Mark’ campaign, the UK’s largest survey of young people’s views. The nation-wide ballot gives young people aged 11-18 the opportunity to shortlist issues to be debated in the House of Commons chamber by Members of Youth Parliament.
Fledglink, who provide an innovative app to help young people make more informed and confident decisions about their journey through education into employment, will sponsor the 2019 Make Your Mark campaign, enabling the charity to reach thousands of young people across the country.
Amanda Chetwynd-Cowieson, Chair of the British Youth Council, the charity which coordinated UK Youth Parliament’s Make Your Mark campaign said: “Make Your Mark has become an important part of the Youth Voice calendar. It’s a clear message to decision makers on the current priorities for young people.
“We’re delighted to be working with Fledglink to deliver such an important campaign and I’m intrigued to see which issues young people are passionate about in 2019.”
Commenting on the new partnership, Ellie Yell, Founder of Fledglink said: “Seeking a ‘curriculum for life’, work experience, work-ready skills and tackling discrimination are recurring issues for young people over the years.
“Fledglink is uniquely placed to better prepare a generation for their future and through our free app, we ensure ‘equal access’ to this support and work opportunities.
“We are so excited therefore to be able to support the British Youth Council’s mission and provide a solution for young people on issues that they are proactively campaigning for.”
Schools and colleges who wish to participate in this years Make Your Mark campaign can now register to take part. In previous years, schools and colleges have played a crucial role in getting young people involved.
The annual ballot, which has taken place each year since 2011, will see Members of Youth Parliament and volunteers across the nation, invite young people in schools and youth groups to take this opportunity to have their say, influence the Government and the decision makers in their communities. Last year, a total of 1.1 million young people from every corner of the country took part.
The British Youth Council have expressed their dissatisfaction with the Government’s continued opposition to a lower voting age. The unplanned EU Elections which take place on Thursday 23rd May will see 1.5 million young people aged 16 and 17 denied the opportunity to vote.
Over the past 16 years, the youth-led charity has been campaigning for the enfranchisement of 16 and 17 year olds. Research compiled by the Votes at 16 Coalition indicates unanimous cross-party support in the Scottish Parliament where they have introduced votes at 16 in Scottish Parliamentary elections and Local Council elections, increasing support across the green benches at Westminster and significant support in the Wales where the Welsh Assembly are due to introduce a lower voting age in 2021.
‘Unequal access to democracy’
16 and 17 year olds in Scotland had the chance to vote in the Scottish Referendum, continue to vote in the Scottish Parliamentary elections and Scottish Local Council elections and we are due to lower the voting age in the Welsh local elections in the near future. This continues to create unequal access to democracy across the UK.
Amanda Chetwynd-Cowieson, Chair of the British Youth Council said: “It is simply unbelievable that we continue to deny 16 and 17 year olds the opportunity to vote in some elections. How can the Government justify this unequal situation?”
Earlier this year the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Votes at 16 released a campaign report.
The British Youth Council is concerned to learn of the reported inequality which has entrenched the UK, affecting the most disadvantaged young people. The youth-led charity called on the Government to take urgent steps to safeguard young people’s future and close the privilege gap.
The comprehensive report, which was released by the Social Mobility Commission, found that students from a disadvantaged background were confronted with institutional and cultural hurdles at university. The lived experience for students from lower socio-economic backgrounds at some universities is often very different and significantly more challenging when compared to those from higher socio-economic backgrounds, the report discovered.
The British Youth Council believe breaking down stereotypes and removing all real, perceived, intentional and unintentional barriers that form obstacles to young people entering and remaining within higher education. We support measures to widen participation and address the under-representation of young people from certain social groups in higher education. The advisory public body, felt universities needed to lead the way in addressing the issue of the divided culture and endeavour to make the student experience comfortable and welcoming for people from all backgrounds.
Government departments have been advised by the Social Mobility Commission to ‘lead the way’ by becoming accredited voluntary living wage employers. They go on to state, the government should embed the Living Wage Foundation’s recommendations for public procurement systems, including assessing the voluntary living wage as part of the new social value framework for procurement. The British Youth Council deem the national living wage an essential route out of poverty for young people. We believe that the national minimum wage and the Government’s National living wage still enshrines age-related discrimination with lower rates for younger workers, and a separate, even lower, rate for apprentices.
The Commission also stated that whilst apprenticeships were lauded as a ladder for opportunity, many young people still didn’t rate apprenticeships and felt they didn’t offer the best opportunity for career progression. Our members believe the Government need to do more to increase the number of young people completing apprenticeships by helping to change attitudes towards the attainment.
Responding to the findings of the report, Amanda Chetwynd-Cowieson, Chair of the British Youth Council said: “The findings of the Social Mobility Commission’s report tell a sad story for young people growing up in the UK.
“It is clear that universities remain a difficult environment for the most disadvantaged students and more must be done to break down the barriers young people are facing.
“It is also unacceptable that young people continue to miss out on a living wage. The Government should be leading the way, as the Commission suggests, in making sure work is a route out of poverty.
“Furthermore we think the Government need to do even more to increase the number of young people attaining apprenticeships. It is clear not enough is being done to tackle the reasons more young people aren’t taking on the opportunity!”
Last year, the British Youth Council’s Youth Select Committee ruled the Government needed to address ‘patchy and inconsistent’ access to work experience. The Committee found that access to good quality work experience has been marked by social, economic and geographic inequalities.
The British Youth Council have supported calls for the Government to take steps to deliver a fairer society by supporting younger people in the housing and employment market.
In a new report published by the House of Lords Committee on Intergenerational Fairness and Provision, the Government is also asked to ensure local authorities have specific planning policies to meet the housing needs of young people. The Committee also goes on to recommend the Government make substantial increases in funding for Further Education and vocational training to tackle unfairness between those to go onto Higher Education and those who do not.
The British Youth Council also backed calls for make the government to make PSHE a statutory subject that is inspected by Ofsted and includes education about housing and finance matters. The national youth council has made repeated calls for statutory PSHE over a number of years. In a ballot of over 1.1 million young people, which was coordinated by the British Youth Council, a curriculum that prepares students for life was one of the top five issues.
Commending on the report findings, Lewis Addlington-Lee, Deputy Chair of the British Youth Council said: “The British Youth Council welcome the findings of the House of Lords Committee on Intergenerational Fairness and Provision.
“The Lord Committee’s findings make it clear more affordable housing, the introduction of statutory PSHE and investment in services such as youth provision and a Government willing to listen to the needs of young people will help us to tackle international unfairness and importantly build a fairer society.”
The national youth-led charity believes there is a lack of affordable housing for young people in some rural areas; exacerbating the problems that young people face in remaining in or moving into rural areas to work and live. The British Youth Council believe that there is a need to look for sustainable solutions to rural housing problems.
On the 50th anniversary of the Representation of the People Act receiving Royal Assent, The British Youth Council, UK Youth Parliament and Votes at 16 Coalition call on the Government to lower the voting age to 16 in all elections and referenda taking place in the UK.
The renewed calls comes following repeated attempts to extend the franchise by Members of Parliament. In a recent report published earlier this month, a cross-party group of parliamentarians made the compelling case for ‘votes at 16’.
The British Youth Council believe that 16 and 17 year olds should be given the vote in all public elections in the UK. The youth-led charity, which has been campaigning on votes at 16 since 2003, believe that at 16 we are mature enough to engage in, and contribute to, our democracy through having the vote.
Amanda Chetwynd-Cowieson, Chair of the British Youth Council said: “It makes no sense that some 16 and 17 year olds are prevented from voting in elections and referenda. The Government must concede and implement a lowering voting age in all elections!”
Support for a lower voting age has increased over the last 20 years with politicians from across the political spectrum announcing their support for a lower voting age. 16 and 17 year olds are allowed to vote in the Scottish Parliamentary elections and Scottish Local Council elections and are due to get a vote in the Welsh local elections, making it harder to deny an extension to the franchise in all elections. Votes at 16 has also been a long-standing campaign for Members of Youth Parliament with the issue topping the youth agenda on five occasions since 2011 in the Make Your Mark ballot.