Care More About Us: Reviewing the Youth Offer in Wirral

Wirral Council conducted a comprehensive review of its Youth Offer in 2019 to understand young people’s needs and aspirations. A survey designed and delivered in collaboration with young people collected 2,736 responses. The survey gathered qualitative insights on key themes including health and wellbeing; education and employment; leisure activities; youth voice; community involvement; and access to information and advice. The insights provided ‘Top 10 Recommendations’ for improving the Youth Offer in Wirral.

Insights gathered: June 2019 - September 2019

• Mental health and wellbeing
• Children and young people
• Work and employment
• Experience of service provision
• Education

Insights gathered by

Wirral Council in collaboration with the Youth Voice Group and Children in Care Council

Aim

The review of Wirral’s youth offer aimed to understand what young people in Wirral need and want to support their development and help them to achieve the best possible outcomes. The review considered all aspects of young people’s lives, including health and wellbeing; education, employment and learning; hobbies, activities and free time; youth voice and democracy; young people in their communities; and advice, information and access.

People engaged with

The survey had 2,736 responses. The young people leading the consultation ensured the sample was as diverse as possible.

Age:

• Participants over 12 years – 73% (1,986)

• Participants under 12 years – 27% (750)

Status:

• In school – 65% (1,781)

• In college – 20% (537)

• In employment – 9% (245)

• Other – 6% (168)

Methods

From 24th June to 20th September 2019, Wirral Council supported young people to develop and complete a survey with their peers. This included an online survey, group sessions, workshops, surveys in public spaces such as shopping centres and cafes, and promotion through schools and other organisations.

The survey was designed in partnership with members of the Youth Voice Group and Children in Care Council to elicit views on the support and services needed for young people to be all that they can be. The survey used multiple-choice questions and free text answers. In addition, consultation events for young people and the public were expertly facilitated by members of the Youth Voice Group.

Key insights

What young people would like to do more of:
Under 12s said they want to do more outdoors. Over 12s are more focused on preparing for adulthood and would like more activities based around careers, life skills, volunteering, and work experience. All ages would like to do more to protect and improve the environment.

What young people would like to know more about:
Under 12s want to know more about being safe, the environment and community involvement. Over 12s want to know more about careers and volunteering, money and banks, politics, mental health, self-confidence and relationships.

What stops young people from taking part:
Cost; timing; location; transport; not knowing what’s on; fear of bullying; feeling left out; not feeling comfortable or safe; or not being accepted.

Top 10 recommendations:
1. “…make the place feel like there’s stuff to do…” Young people are asking us to co-ordinate and publicise what already goes on and to add new local activities and opportunities.

2. “…make parts of the Wirral look less run down…” Young people are bothered by litter, derelict buildings, empty shops, dog fouling and neglected neighbourhoods. They are asking for more trees, more flowers, more appealing buildings and housing, inviting green spaces and more bins.

3. “…make it a place where I feel safe all the time, as I don’t at the moment…” Young people are asking us to make the places they go and travel through feel safer by improving outdoor lighting, managing traffic and having an increased presence of trusted adults, particularly on public transport and on the streets.

4. “…let everybody be included…” Young people are asking us to make our services, facilities and activities more inclusive. Additionally, they are challenging adults to be accepting of all people regardless of age, gender, sexual orientation, disability, race, or religion.

5. “…support young people to stay on the Wirral more…” Young people report that they go out of borough to enjoy cafes, music venues, shopping, for further education and to find work. They would like to be able to do more of those things in Wirral.

6. “…have activities for us to do that our parents can afford…” Young people want to participate in activities, they want to do more but are often unable to because of financial pressures, particularly where they experience transport costs or are part of a sibling group.

7. “…stop increasing my ticket prices and improve trains and transport…” Young people are asking for better transport links, increased frequency of buses, later services (particularly on Sundays) and subsidised travel.

8. “…help young people in schools to know how to progress as an adult…” Young people are asking us to provide a curriculum for life, one that teaches them about mortgages, insurance, benefits, politics, sex, substances, DIY, health, careers, jobs, domestic abuse and relationships. They want this to be delivered in their schools by subject experts.

9. “…get out on social media…” Young people are asking us to modernise how we communicate, advertise and deliver services to them. Online booking, apps, live chat, web-based services and reward schemes that can be accessed via mobile phones are more suited to their lifestyles and habits.

10. “…give us space to talk and relax with friends…” Young people want to be accepted, to be treated fairly, and not to be pre-judged because they are young. They want to have places where they are allowed to meet with friends, not for activities, but just to socialise and be young.

Quotes

“There needs to be more support around mental health, body issues and LGBT as it is often hard to talk to trusted adults about these things for fear of disappointing them.”

“Help young people in schools to know how to progress as an adult, for example learning about insurance, money and politics.”

How have the insights been used/shared?

Wirral Council used the insights to review current provision and worked collaboratively with young people, their families, communities, voluntary and faith organisations, and schools to develop and deliver a Youth Offer which makes the best of the opportunities we have in Wirral. The Care More About Us report has been shared with young people and a short film made by them which captures the ‘Top 10 Recommendations’ publicised. A group of young photographers, working with Creative Youth Development, have been engaged to produce a photo-journalism series, entitled In Our Hands, to complement the Youth Offer proposals.

Online links

To see the full report of findings, visit: https://wirral.moderngov.co.uk/documents/s50065137/Enc.%201%20for%20Wirral%20Youth%20Offer.pdf