Staffordshire’s elected Youth Council opens applications for November by-election
Young people aged 11 to 18 who live, go to school, or work in Staffordshire can now apply to join the county's elected Youth Council.
Staffordshire Youth Union is a youth-led group forming the largest Youth Council in the county of Staffordshire. The most recent cohort of Youth Representatives, elected in November 2023, have already made a huge impact in their community through their work, and are now looking to recruit more young people aged between 11 and 18 to help to improve Staffordshire for the benefit of its youth.
Their first venture began shortly after their election in December 2023, meeting with the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Violence Reduction Alliance at the Office of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner based at Staffordshire Police HQ. This ongoing collaboration has provided various opportunities for young people to shape strategies designed to tackle violent crime in the local area, strongly reflected in the VRA’s 2024-2029 Violence Reduction Strategy released earlier this year.
Following this, the group further amplified the voices of Staffordshire’s youth through their participation in the UK Youth Parliament’s ‘Make Your Mark’, the UK’s largest youth consultation. Over 4.500 young people in the county were surveyed, with the results showing that Jobs, the Economy & Benefits was the most important of the ten presented issues to them. Nationally, over half a million young people participated in the consultation, with Health & Wellbeing, Crime & Safety, and Culture, Media & Sport being the three most important issues. Members of the UK Youth Parliament, including Staffordshire’s Oliver Bracebridge-Henderson MYP, Tom Craddock MYP, Caitlyn Monks MYP, and Emily Richards MYP, will respond to these results through their work in the upcoming year, including a debate in the House of Commons.
In April, Staffordshire Youth Union ran their first fundraising event with an Easter theme, taking place in the Cannock Chase District. The funds raised were donated to local charity SNAP (Special Needs Adventure Playground) at their Quiz Night, with the two events raising a total of over £600. The Youth Council also supported Cannock & District Local Foodbank by taking part in collections at Asda Cannock with a total of 1.2 tonnes of food and £115 donated, and came second in Lichfield charity Grace Cares’ ‘Pimp My Ride’ intergenerational competition, featured on ITV News and Good Morning Britain. The group also recently refurbished Dawlish Avenue Play Park in Stafford Borough in association with Streetscene, providing residents with a fresh outdoor space for years to come.
The work of the group has been beneficial to the whole community, including its members. Gracie Dean, SYU’s Media and Communications Officer, said: “Joining SYU is an experience that has helped me to become more confident, and I believe it can do the same for others. I would highly encourage any young person that wants to make a difference, develop their skills, and be part of a group which enables you to use your voice to stand for election.”
Tom Craddock MYP, the group’s Chairman, said: “This by-election is a fantastic opportunity for the young people of Staffordshire. In being a member of Staffordshire Youth Union, you will not just make a meaningful difference to your local area, but will also gain a plethora of new skills and experiences transferable to any walk of life, and certain to come in handy in future years.”
Young people aged between 11 and 18 who live, work, or attend school in the county of Staffordshire can register their interest to join the group at staffscvys.org.uk/staffordshire-youth-union. Applications will close on Friday, 27 September and polls will open on Monday, 11 November. For more information, please contact Sean Turner, Youth Engagement Coordinator at SCVYS, on sean@staffscvys.org.uk, or Tom Craddock MYP, Staffordshire Youth Union Chairman, on info@tomcraddock.co.uk, or visit the above webpage.
By Tom Craddock - Contributor
