Sandwell Council partnered with West Midlands Police to host a youth summit for young people at risk of exploitation or on the brink of exclusion to consult with them about the issues they face today.
The summit was held on 7 February 2023 as part of the events and opportunities organised throughout the year by the Council’s SHAPE Team for children and young people to engage in positive activities that enable them to get their voice heard.
Staff from Sandwell’s schools also contributed to the planning of the youth summit to ensure the event achieved the best outcomes for the young people.
Young people from Sandwell Valley School, Sandwell Community School, The Brades Lodge, Oldbury Academy and Ormiston Sandwell Community Academy attended the summit, which was held at Coneygre Arts Centre in Tipton. The venue is a creative arts youth provision managed by the Council’s Youth Services.
Consultations during the summit revealed that young people often engaged in anti-social behaviour because they lacked awareness of positive youth provision for them to access. In response to this, the summit showcased local youth provision which young people can get involved in through schools or out of school settings.
The activities and providers were:
- West Midlands Police - World cafe
- West Midlands Police & Crime Commissioner - Stop & Search Panel
- Sandwell Youth Services - Climbing wall, creative arts and go karting
- Sport 4 Life - Dodgeball
- Strike9T CIC - Cycling
- BoxClever Mentoring - Boxing
- Sporting Your Futures - Gaming
- Oldbury United - Football
- G.A.P Entertainment CIC - Dance and Drama
- Vibes N' Shine - Team Building Activities
- British Triathlon - Turbo Cycling
- Auden Allen - Music Production
The participants were particularly impressed with the cycling, boxing and music production, and the event received positive feedback from young people, schools and the providers involved.
Councillor Simon Hackett, Cabinet Member for Children & Education said: “I was delighted to attend the youth summit, which was a resounding success and reflected the effectiveness of the SHAPE Programme’s collaborative approach to engaging with children and young people through events and initiatives. Young people were made aware of the provision available to them in Sandwell. The SHAPE Programme helps reduce negative outcomes among young people, such as exclusions and anti-social behaviour, by engaging young people in positive activities and having children and young people’s voices heard.”