Would you like to represent and give a voice to young people in North Northamptonshire?

04 November 2024

North Northamptonshire Council is launching a new North Northamptonshire Council Youth Advisory Council during National Youth Work Week.

The role of the Youth Advisory Council is to give young people - aged 13 to 19 (up to 25 with SEND) - a voice to create an environment where they can make decisions about what is important to them, and create opportunities for young people to participate, engage and be heard by politicians, service providers and others in their local community.  

In July this year, North Northamptonshire Council secured Public Health funding to employ a qualified Youth Worker. This demonstrated the local authority’s commitment in supporting the voluntary sector and ensures that there are increasing levels of meaningful engagement and participation to empower young people to have a voice on issues that matter to them. 

Applications for the Youth Advisory Council member elections will be accepted from 18 November to 30 November 2024 when the submission round will close. For those young people who are interested in getting involved, they would be required to complete a short expression of interest form.

There will be 14 places for young people to apply for a seat on the Youth Advisory Council. Those elected will represent the North Northamptonshire area. Two seats will be allocated to Youth Members of Parliament but as yet, these have yet to be elected.

The Youth Advisory Council will be seeking member applications from young people who are active members of a current youth forums from the likes of school councils, voluntary youth organisations, youth councils and forums, college youth councils, or an individual nominated by a member of staff from a school, college or community group. The only stipulations are that applicants are aged 13 to 19 years (25 with SEND) and live in North Northamptonshire.

Elected council members will be invited to get involved and work alongside North Northamptonshire Council’s engagement and participation team. Should there be a high number of applications, these will go to a public vote through the Family Hubs digital front door. 

Once elected, the first meeting of the Youth Advisory Council will be on Tuesday, 14 January, 2025 in Kettering. Subsequent meetings will then take place on the second Tuesday of every month, with the exception of August.

Anyone who would like to know more about the proposed Youth Advisory Council, please contact Brian McLaughlin (youth work co-ordinator) via email: [email protected]