Young Lambeth Cooperative

Having established with young people their priorities for change and the urgent need for action to improve services to achieve these outcomes, young people used the remaining time to build the future, exploring what a new umbrella organisation led by a youth membership across Lambeth would look like. 

In planning for the future, the young people first explored different models of service running a service or organisation, noting their various strengths and weaknesses and likely opportunities and threats as a model in the future. These findings are presented in sequence, running from local authority ownership and control to young people ownership and control.

At the same time, the roving reporters asked some young people this important question.

“What do you think about children and young people having more control over services and activities which are provided for them?”  

 "I think it’s a brilliant idea. Getting all young people together means bridging the gap between different postcodes and young people not feeling safe with each other.” (Jeremiah Emmanuel, Deputy Youth Mayor)

        “I think it is a good idea. However, I think it needs to be an idea that is thoroughly thought through.” (Keanna Williams, Lambeth Member of UK Youth Parliament)

·      “I think that young people should have the role of being a leader so that the young people are their own leaders.” (Treasure Oyelade, Lambeth Youth Council)

Before being able to think about the pros and cons of young people taking more of a say in decision making and leading their own organisation to improve services and outcomes, the group needed to explore first what their priority needs were in Lambeth as these would presumably be key areas to focus on within any new emerging organisation.

This was a large group activity to explore the things that matter to young people in the Borough. The whole group added traffic light post-its to large graffiti posters about aspects of their lives: being healthy, staying safe, having the things I need, enjoying and achieving, sex and relationships and helping others. Green indicated good, orange was for ok and red (pink) was for rubbish - poor.

While there are many areas of green that represent things going well, areas of red and orange were notable on having a say, safety at home and the neighbourhood and on gaining access to information on sex and relationships.

A team of roving reporters working with DigitalMe also asked some of those taking part what their priorities for change were for young people in Lambeth.

·        “That young people in Lambeth have the voice that they need.” (Treasure Oyelade, Lambeth Youth Council)

·        “More opportunities for young people and advertising these opportunities more.” (Keanna Williams, Lambeth Member of UK Youth Parliament)

·        “A range of things for young people. There’s not one thing that could be fixed in the lives of young people in Lambeth. There are so many things.” (Jeremiah Emmanuel, Deputy Youth Mayor)