Our Youth and Community Apprentice was lucky enough attend one of Barnet Council’s resident engagement workshops to better understand young people’s experiences.
Barnet Council wants young people to have a say on issues that impact them and to help make a positive change in their local area.
Over 500 young people from across the borough shared their views through the perception survey (conducted late 2021/early 2022) and the findings show that most young people:
• Are happy with their local area as a place to live – 94% 2021/22 compared to 90% in 2020
• Think Barnet is a family-friendly place to live – 89% 2021/22 compared to 84% in 2020
• Think that the council is doing a good job – 90% 2021/22 compared to 92% in 2020
• Think the council involves them when making decisions – 70% 2021/22 compared to 60% in 2020
• Are concerned about crime (41%), litter/dirt in the streets (29%) and traffic congestion (26%)
In July 2022, the Council ran six workshops with young people to unpack the recent perception survey results. 63 young people shared their views on several topics including education, housing, mental health, and community safety.
The sessions were a huge success, and some participants have since signed up to join one of the Council’s youth forums. The insights gained from the workshops will help shape the Council’s new plan to support children and young people. Findings from this engagement can be found at engage.barnet.gov.uk/young-peoplesworkshops. To request a hard copy, call Barnet Council on 020 8359 2000.
For details about the Council’s youth forums, visit barnet.gov.uk/mysaymatters and you can also follow them on Instagram @BarnetYouth_