The London Youth Assembly

The London Youth Assembly (LYA) is a new body formed to bring together representatives from different youth forums across London to create positive change for young people.

Getting young Londoners engaged and involved in the running of their city is an important objective for the London Assembly and these young Londoners are enthusiastic about bringing issues that matter to them to the forefront of local politics.

The LYA holds quarterly meetings in the Chamber at City Hall. These meetings will focus on matters of importance to young Londoners. Partnered with Assembly Members, the LYA will coordinate issues, promote campaigns and discuss key themes across London as they effect young people.

The LYA is composed of representatives, who also take part in four sub-regional groups:

• North East – Barking and Dagenham, City of London, Enfield, Hackney, Haringey, Havering, Islington, Newham, Redbridge, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest;
• North West – Barnet, Brent, Camden, Ealing, Hammersmith and Fulham, Harrow, Hillingdon, Westminster, Kensington and Chelsea;
• South West - Croydon, Hounslow, Kingston, Merton, Richmond and Wandsworth; and
• South East – Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark.

These groups meet quarterly and are responsible for identifying issues and priorities within their areas which then feed into the LYA.

LYA Members are aged between 11 to 19, and up to 25 if you have a disability. Each borough is responsible for electing or selecting two ‘London Youth Assembly Members’ for the calendar year. The process for (s)election varies from borough to borough.

The key role of a London Youth Assembly Member is to:

• Represent their borough at LYA meetings, sub-regional group meetings and functions;
• Provide updates on priorities and plans for their sub-regional groups, and borough;
• Feed back to their borough the work being done by the LYA; and
• Joint working with the Chair and Deputy Chair of the LYA on key issues.

The LYA will elect a Chair and Deputy Chair for their Assembly.

The Chair is responsible for:

• Setting the agenda for and chairing LYA meetings;
• Joint working with London Assembly Members on areas the LYA wish to focus on;
• Greeting and introducing guests to LYA meetings; and
• All social media accounts for the LYA, including promoting the work of the LYA and monitoring comments on posts.

The Deputy Chair is responsible for:

• Supporting the LYA Chair; and
• Collaboration with LYA Chair on Social Media posts and content, including promoting the work of the LYA and monitoring comments on posts.

Minutes and agendas for LYA meetings can be found here.

The London Youth Assembly Handbook for 2020/21 can be found here.

• The impact of COVID-19 on education & opportunities for young people in London - London Youth Assembly Report published August 2021