Youth needs to be included (From Harrow Times)

Youth needs to be included

11:59am Friday 21st October 2011 in Your letters

Young people’s experiences have been much criticised by the media and politicians recently with many disapproving of their behaviour, but their own voices are rarely heard or taken seriously enough.

Too many young people today feel decision makers unfairly stereotype them instead of working with them to find solutions.

Harrow Council is seeking to change the way it involves young people in decisions through a research project, led by the scrutiny committee. This will investigate how the young can have more of a say in key decisions and how the council can open up new opportunities for skills development, through volunteering, to increase youth participation in the borough.

The review — running from October to December — hopes to put forward ideas for a new, more direct, engagement model with young people that the council could adopt in future and we want as many young people as possible to get involved.

Many young people today have almost everything against them. They are entering a tough job market with record levels of student debt, they’re unable to get onto the housing ladder and they are footing the bill for older generations. We have to find new ways of involving them in decisions that affect them. Given the chance, young people are as capable as any other group of considering important social issues affecting the community and putting forward solutions. The council invites young people to attend workshops or fill in a questionnaire. To get involved contact the scrutiny team on 020 8420 9204.

Councillor Victoria Silver
Labour, Kenton East
Ladan Dirie
Chairman, Harrow Youth Parliament