London Partnership Youth Board members describe their priorities and how they want to help shape the response to challenges facing London
As part of the continuing work of the London Partnership Board, giving young people a voice in the conversation and a seat at the table when discussing what the future of London will be is key. At the first meeting of the London Partnership Board on 16 March 2023, two members of the Youth Partnership Board, formerly the Youth Recovery Board (YRB), spoke about their specific experiences and the key areas that they’d like considered as the board moves forward and reflections on the biggest challenges we think London faces.
Mo and Tianna provided valuable insight to the London Recovery Board (now London Partnership Board) through their roles on the Youth Recovery Board (now Youth Partnership Board). As part of their presentation to the board they outlined three challenges that the YRB have jointly agreed urgently need tackling:
- Gentrification – we are increasingly seeing the areas we live in become gentrified. It is important that our local areas continue to receive investment, but this needs to be done in a way that represents and benefits our local communities and treats their cultures and views with respect. In particular, it’s important to ensure that local people have access to housing at an affordable cost. Closely linked to this is the housing/homelessness crisis as we see more and more young people sleeping rough. Young people need support with housing so they can continue to live in the areas that represent them
- Policing – policing in the capital means that young people, especially those from black and Asian minority backgrounds experience disproportionate levels of negative police encounters which are often excessive and intimidating. Many young people don’t feel safe when interacting with the police meaning that we don't feel we can rely on those who are meant to protect us. By working towards building a more trusting relationship between young people and the police, we can create a safer community across London.
- Opportunities for young people – We need to support our youth throughout their transition from education to employment. It’s imperative that we provide the safe spaces within communities for young people to explore their interests and discover different career paths. It is our responsibility to our young people to empower them to pursue their goals and dreams, ultimately working towards social mobility in the long-term.
During their presentation to the board, both spoke about their specific experiences, Mo commented on the scope and breadth of development in his local area, commenting:
“I have first-hand experience seeing an area change before my eyes. Having been born and raised in Canning Town (literally 10 minutes from City Hall), I have worked with the Royal Docks team to help ensure the investments being made in the area benefit young people and our local communities. I have personally benefited from participating in discussions about my local community. It’s vital that policy and decision makers make a real effort to make sure that they involve local communities in the thinking and planning process because communities know best.”
Tianna focussed on her experiences through her local youth centre and the importance of access to youth services to aide development and opportunities. She remarked:
“Growing up with a youth centre directly opposite my school exposed me to the vast opportunities I had in the palm of my hand. I received quality pastoral care and was surrounded by a network of people who were invested in my development. This has meant that I have been confident in pursuing my ambitions and has led me to my current role in youth advocacy. This is why it’s so important that other young people like me have access to youth services which support them in exploring their own individual pathways.”
Both acknowledged that all of these challenges can have a huge impact on the mental health of young people, therefore highlighting the importance that they are properly addressed. Additionally they voiced a hope that this presentation would inform the work of the London Partnership Board and expressed their enthusiasm to continue to work with the board to help to come up with solutions to these complex issues.