South Norfolk Council's commitment to young people:

1. Involving young people in decision making

The Council aims to:

• Share leadership and explain things
• Let young people have a say in important matters, like how money is spent in South Norfolk
• Involve young people as peer research and mentors.

2. Supporting young people to get involved

The Council aims to:

• Give young people realistic and open information with support from a dedicated officer.
• Provide clear feedback and information in an easy to understand way.
• Provide training opportunities and accredit young people for their involvement.

3. Promoting understanding and respect

The council aims to:

• Really listen to young people by encouraging mutual respect between young people, council staff and councillors – avoid being patronising!
• Actively promote positive images and articles about young people and enable them to contribute in press releases
• Involve young people in the recruitment of key staff and council staff and councillors- avoid being patronising!
• Actively promote positive images and articles about young people and enable them to contribute in press releases
• Involve young people in the recruitment of key staff and use an officer and councillor 'champion' to help raise the profile of young people
• Promote Article 12 of the united Nations International Rights of the Child, and the Hear by Right standards

4. Improving access to information, advice and services

The Council aims to:

• Provide information about what the Council does and how it works and use the citizenship curriculum in school
• Provide training so that young people can help design publicity and information leaflets etc.
• Help young people find out about funding
• Promote the use of accessible language for young people with learning disabilities
• Promote the South Norfolk website to include the views and involvement of young people

5. Partnership working for the benefit of young people

The Council aims to:

• Ask young people their views and listen
• Work with partner agencies including Norfolk Youth and Community Services (NYCS) voluntary groups and schools
• Encourage and promote youth voluntary work and involvement through sports
• Provide points of contact such as comments boxes, and notice boards within schools and youth organisations

6. Giving everyone a chance- involving 'Harder to reach' groups

The Council aims to:

• Work with some young people the council needs to work in different ways, like meeting young people on the street, or in their own environment
• Provide support for young people with particular needs including young offenders and those at risk of offending
• Use different language e.g.: sign language and Widget to make sure that everyone can have a say
• Make sure that there is open physical access for young people with disabilities
• Ask each group of young people how they want to be consulted and involved.

• Young people need to know that they are safe when working with adults connected to the Council.
• Make sure that adults within their control do not put young people at risk and carry out Police checks on adults working with young people
• Promote child protection and make sure that young people under the age of 18 have adult consent so that they can take part in Council activities
• The strategy is supported by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child which clearly states that you (as children and young people) have the right to say what you think should happen when adults are making decisions that effect you, and to have your opinions taken seriously. (Article 12). It is also supported by the Hear by Right standards (NYA/LGA), which have been agreed by the Council to encourage the active involvement of children and young people.

Young people want to be listened to and taken seriously

By raising the profile of young people so that adult decision makers recognise the importance of your views and ideas, you can make a difference.

By involving you, as young people, through active citizenship and consultation, your views will be used to form services now and in the future.

Young people want to get involved in how South Norfolk Council is run. The Youth Involvement Strategy has been written to make sure this happens.