Fresh ideas
08-FEB-10
Issued by: Graeme Cook
Two teenagers from North Tyneside have been chosen to join a national 'young evaluators' group, aiming to improve services for vulnerable young people.
The group of 20 youngsters, aged between 12 to 20-years-old, have been selected from across the country to evaluate services such as transport and libraries.
And Jack Topham, 16, young cabinet member for community engagement, and James Dutschak-Kavanagh, 13, young cabinet member for wellbeing, will both be representing the borough as young evaluators.
The first training session will take place on Saturday 27 February, at the NSPCC National Training Centre in Leicester, where the group will learn the skills needed to conduct area visits.
The young evaluators have been recruited to help assess the Youth4U - Young Inspectors programme, which is being run by the Look Listen Change consortium.
Jack, a pupil at Seaton Burn Community College, said: "I'm really excited about taking part in work on a national scale.
"Not only that, but I hope to be able to develop my skills to make a difference in North Tyneside."
James, from St Thomas More High, said: "It will be a great opportunity for me. I'm really looking forward to meeting all of the other young people and hearing the issues affecting them."
Hosted by National Children's Bureau (NCB), the consortium includes the British Youth Council (BYC), KIDS, the National Centre for Excellence in Residential Child Care (NCERCC) and the Council for Disabled Children (CDC).
The young evaluators will also be helping the research team at NCB to analyse the data from the area visit interviews, and write an evaluation report for the Youth4U - Young Inspectors programme.
Cllr George Westwater, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said: "This is a great opportunity for the young people of North Tyneside to be heard on a national scale.
"I am confident the experience will prove invaluable to both James and Jack, as they continue in their roles as members of the borough's young cabinet."
Mandy Douglas, assistant director for participation programmes at NCB said: "This is a great opportunity for the young people to be involved in the programme as young evaluators.
"They will learn interviewing skills, work alongside other young evaluators, receive training in research methods and analysis, help run interviews with other young and learn how to analyse data and write reports.
"All of these skills will contribute towards their CV and each young person will receive a certificate at the end of the programme to acknowledge their contribution to this project."
ENDS