Worcestershire Youth Cabinet launches new manifesto

Councillor Steve Mackay, Worcestershire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children and Families, and  Worcester MP Tom Collins, were on hand to support the group as they shared their priority subjects for their next term.

The counties Youth Cabinet manifesto was developed directly from what young people in Worcestershire voted on as part of the Make Your Mark campaign. Top issues included improving mental health support and hospital experiences for young people, as well as tackling knife crime.

Youth Cabinet Member and Deputy Vice Chair Cameron led the event in the absence of Chair Anusha Salhan, with other members Rhys, Tyler, Lexi and Annabelle, stepping up to contribute and share their views.

In a foreword as part of Youth Cabinet’s manifesto launch, Chair Anusha Salhan had said:

“This year, our Cabinet has expanded not only in size, but also in our desire to achieve much more. We have undertaken a range of projects that address critical issues on the minds of young people today - issues such as health and wellbeing, crime and safety, and education.

Our focus remains on addressing the concerns raised by young people across the whole of Worcestershire, as highlighted by ‘Make Your Mark’ programme. It is of vital importance that we continue to tackle the recurrent desire to improve mental health support and hospital experiences as well as knife crime.

She added: “Looking ahead, I am keen to see how we can make tangible changes by collaborating closely with key stakeholders, including MP’s and councillors, with whom we have already started productive conversations. Our ambition is to ensure that we can make a real and lasting impact on the lives of young people across the county, ensuring that their voices are not only heard, but acted upon. I am excited to see where the next year will take us, and I am confident that we can continue to build a brighter future for young people in our community.”

Councillor Steve Mackay, Cabinet Member for Children and Families, at Worcestershire County Council said: “It was a pleasure to join the Youth Cabinet as they launched their manifesto and I’m pleased to see that support for young people with SEND is a priority for them.

"We have been working with the Youth Cabinet to improve how we engage with children and young people with SEND, as we aim to coproduce services that better meet their needs in the future. It was great to see so many young people so passionate and invested in politics, and looking to make a real difference in several key areas for young people, I look forward to working with them in the future.”

Tom Collins, Member of Parliament for Worcester, added: “It was fantastic to hear the passion of our Youth Cabinet members. Young people in our county are ready to step up and work together for change that makes a real difference.

“I was incredibly encouraged by the Youth Cabinet members’ leadership, clarity of thinking and collaborative approach. I’m really looking forward to working with our young leaders to bring change and improve the lives of young people here in Worcestershire.”

There was further representation at the event from NHS Herefordshire and Worcestershire, Worcestershire County Council’s SEND & Partnership Committee and Play Worcester.

If you would like to find out more about the Youth Cabinet or get involved yourself, you can contact our Youth Voice Team.