North East Youth Symposium brings teenagers and decision-makers together to shape their future

Empowered young people from across the North East gathered together in Newcastle for a special event with key decision-makers. Keen to get their voices heard on crucial issues around poverty and inequality, community safety, physical and mental health, education and employment, teenagers made their thoughts known to a panel of regional leaders.

With a new government in place, young people from the North East want to ensure their concerns and ideas for the future don’t go unnoticed. They took the chance to meet with the many decision-makers and sector professionals in attendance.

The North East Youth Symposium was organised by NCS (National Citizen Service) alongside a coalition of local organisations ranging from the North East Youth Alliance (NEYA), Youth Focus: North East, Children North East, The Key, NE Youth and StreetGames.

After a morning of inspiring presentations from young people relaying their lived experiences of life growing up in communities around the North East, the young participants put their ideas and thoughts to decision-makers and leaders including Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner Susan Dungworth; Cllr Nick Kemp, the Leader of Newcastle City Council; Tracey Harrison from the Northern Housing Consortium; Amanda Bailey from the North East Child Poverty Commission; Laura-Jane Rawlings from Youth Employment UK, plus NCS Trust CEO Mark Gifford as well as many, many more professionals from around the region. 

Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner Susan Dungworth said: “It was a very inspiring morning at the North East Youth Symposium listening to what matters most to young people, through a range of fantastic presentations and performances.

“During the event, we discussed a number of topics such as improving safety in local communities, tackling knife crime and the importance of making sure that the voices of our young people are at the heart of everything we do. Events such as this provide crucial opportunities for young people to share their views and ideas, but I’m always here to listen, and together we will create safer streets and stronger communities.”

Rylie Sweeney, aged 18 from Teesside, is Chair of the Youth Advisory Group at the Careers Enterprise Company, a Youth Advisor for the Children’s Commissioner England , and an apprentice site manager with Willmott Dixon. Rylie said: “The Youth Symposium has been an inspirational day empowering and inspiring young people and hearing their ideas. They represent so many diverse backgrounds, experiences and have so many great ideas.

“We need to elevate young people’s voices and ensure that we are listened to by important decision-makers.”

Kirsty Beeston, Engagement Manager at NCS Trust, said: “Over one hundred young people and the region’s decision-makers jumped at the opportunity to join us at our Youth Symposium. The young people were keen to put their concerns to our panel, who offered genuine hope and solutions to a host of hard-hitting issues that were put forward.

“We’ve heard plenty of inspiration and ideas for some of the societal issues such as poverty and inequality that young people brought to the table and it’s important that we listen and all keep working together to make their solutions a reality.”