Young people formed the New Ramp Group (NRG) and campaigned to have the skate park renovated. After three years of fundraising the young people have raised enough to begin construction. The district council have supported the young people’s campaign and liaised with them in relation to the design of the park.
Category Archives: environment
Young people take action to ensure safer environment for everyone
Young people wanted damaged fencing leading to railway lines and a dangerous spike on a sign to be repaired. After raising their concerns with the Parks Liaison Officer the fencing and the sharp spike have been repaired.
Action research and neighbourhood renewal
Funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund young people were invited to take part in a project that was to compliment the regeneration that was occurring within the Norfolk Park estate. Young people researched the concept of ‘change’ with local residents in order to use these ideas as the basis for a mural that was designed with input from local artists. The council installed new lighting within a local subway where young people situated their artwork. The subway is now a safer and more pleasant route for people to use within the local community.
A space for young people and a movement toward community regeneration
Originally an after school club, Indigos recognised the need for an outdoor area for children and young people to play. Young people were saying that they were getting into trouble playing on the local streets. A local school offered Indigos a disused plot of land that was overgrown and used as a dumping ground. The children, young people and local residents cleared the land and have developed a space for adventure play, with many facilities. Agreed ground rules keep the children and young people safe and offer a space for children and young people to ‘go wild’, they lead the project and evaluate it themselves. The project has won two government awards because of the positive impact on the local community.
Practical solutions to unfair trade
Following a global trade day at school, young people decided they wanted to do something practical to support Fairtrade. The school supported the groups Fairtrade fundraising activities and used Fairtrade products in the staff room. The young people went on to form Fairtradelicious which now supplies Fairtrade products to the local area and has a turnover of several thousand pounds.
Local young activists keep play area open
Children and young people wanted to stop a planning application for an access road that would have destroyed a long standing play area. They formed an action group made up of local residents, organised a petition, wrote formal letters of opposition and attended planning meetings. The decision has been deferred whilst an alternative access point is found.
Young people take action to secure BMX facilities
Young people unofficially built dirt jumps to ride their bikes on a piece of disused land at the edge of the village. As the parish owned the land, insurance was raised as an issue. The insurance company wouldn’t cover the jumps and they were pulled down in January 2006. Young people researched existing tracks and insurance situations to put forward a case to the parish council. They invited an experienced track builder to talk to the council and tackled the issue of fundraising. The council agreed the plans and loaned the cost of the build whilst fundraising continued. As a result of their success in securing their track the young people have formed a youth council and continue to make changes in their village.
Facilities and safety in the local park
Young people who used Mesnes Park complained to detached youth workers that the park was unsafe and had few facilities for them. The detached team challenged young people to do something about this; in response young people formed a youth action group. The action group raised the issue with the council and worked to gain the opinions and support of other young people. As a result the regeneration of the park has become a prominent community issue. Temporary lighting and a skate ramp has been put in place for the short term, and the action group is involved in the planning for the longer term regeneration. The experience of the youth action group has reinvigorated the youth council. The process has highlighted the importance of young people’s participation and the council and other organisations are increasingly seeking to involve the young people in their work.
A personal campaign succeeds in the removal of a mosquito device
A young person affected by the installation of a mosquito device in his local town centre decided that he wanted it removed for both his benefit and that of other young people. Supported by a young people’s participation worker he contacted the local press, reported it to the police and registered a complaint to the council. The council, who had installed the device, removed it the next day.
Community understanding leads to better youth provision
Young people in the village had been using a bus stop as an informal youth shelter. This had generated tensions with some residents living nearby. As a result of the tensions the parish council invited young people and local residents to a round table meeting. This established the need for young people to have a meeting place of their own. Connexions and Young Farmers worked with the young people in developing their plans whilst the council sought a suitable place to locate a youth shelter. The council supported the young people throughout the lengthy process and the young people now have a straw bale construction that they can call their own.