Name Kirklees Youth Council
What they do Kirklees Youth Council is made up of 32 young people (aged between 11 and 19) from across the Kirklees area.
The young people are elected by their peers. Each Youth Councillor has responsibility for a geographic location or a particular community of interest (eg, colleges, disability). Youth Councillors meet formally, informally and in campaign groups.
They meet regularly with decision-makers and elected members. Everything they do is intended to ensure that the voice of young people is taken into account when decisions are being made about services that affect them.
Why they do great youth work It brings together young people from different communities, gives them the opportunity to gain new skills and have new experiences. They learn about each other, develop new friendships and have fun.
They grow in confidence and begin to understand what it means to represent others. The young people have a belief in their ability to be part of change and enjoy playing an active role in making a difference.
Name Maypole
What they do Maypole Centre is a Birmingham City Council youth project based in a poor neighbourhood on the southern perimeter of the city.
It is a Connexions base, a youth centre, provides support to young people aged 16 to 25 who live independently and provides counselling services to young people concerned with substance misuse.
The centre is equipped with a music studio, internet cafe, a fleet of mountain bikes and has a narrowboat, which acts as a residential activity centre for up to 12.
Why they do great youth work It is an excellent example of a localised integrated approach to improving outcomes for young people in a poor neighbourhood. Many of the young people it works with face a multitude of challenges in their transition to adulthood.
Being a local project in the heart of the community means that young people often deemed 'hard to reach' can easily access services.
The centre runs a wide range of challenging activities and has strong relationships with other agencies in the neighbourhood.
