Youth Forum

Congleton Youth Forum Meeting Minutes

The Youth Forum meeting took place recently, download the full meeting minutes HERE.

Highlights include:

Mental Health / Substance Misuse Project  – update EBA.

 

Catherine and Sam gave a report on the work they have been doing at Eaton Bank Academy in support of this project.

Following training support from Visyon they have set up a 10 student strong Peer Mentoring Group/Project.

They have offered made themselves available to offer advice and support on wellbeing and welfare support across years 11 and 12.

Had regular discussion sessions on issues and plans of action.

Looking to make the project sustainable by training the incoming year 12s.

Working on a Mental Health Awareness campaign with Helen MacKay ( Macclesfield) and the new project team of schools and colleges being set up across Cheshire East.

Presentations on the subjects can be made at any school.

Mental Health Cards ( details of support contacts) for students are being developed and will be available for the start of the September term.

 

The group congratulated them on their excellent work.

 

Basis of the training was 2 hours sessions with Jamie / Laura from Visyon. Liz did 2 hour sessions with all of the sixth form on Mental Health.

Liz commented that they were happy to go and talk to CHS if they so wished.

Caroline felt CHS would welcome similar training to EBA.

 

Once this project is completed The Partnership would review what could be done to support it going forward.

 

  1. Substance Awareness days.

Both secondary schools to be involved. GW discuss with F.Bruce / Youth Committee.

Congleton Youth Committee keep raising this as a topic, they need to take the lead.

MP was involved in the last time this programme was delivered, schools would be receptive for this to happen again. Youth Committee need to develop a programme to deliver this.  £250

PCSO commented that year 7 & 8 showed a marked increase in drug issues and that drug awareness days were needed in schools.
Summer Activities.

MS sent out prior to the meeting, if you have any activity you wish to be advertised please send to MS for circulation.

 

Visyon Summer Programme                                      Sent to group 3.7.18

Leisure Centre Programme                                                                9.7.18

Astbury Watersports Schools Programme                                         3.7.18

Congleton Town Ctr Play Day 14th August (10am to 2pm)

New Great Places to play leaflet (Play Areas) to be issued              This month

Friends for Leisure 3 x events – 1st Aug Old saw Mill – Wall Painting 2 to 3.30

(01260 275333)                         6th Aug EBA Bubble Footie  10.30 to 11.45

30th Aug New Life Church Summer Party 1 to 2.30

Lee’s Football School EBA Weekly Sessions July/Aug £15 per day/weekly rates.

For up to-date information visit the Town Council website www.congleton-tc.gov.uk

 

Next Meeting.

 

TBA.  MS and GW to draw up a schedule for the next 12 months (4 meetings)

Youth Forum Meeting Minutes 20.03.18

The Youth Forum meeting took places recently, download the full meeting minutes HERE.

 

Highlights include:

Body Positive – Carys Jones.

 Body Positive are a charity, commissioned by both CEBC and Cheshire West and Chester to provide sexual health, sexuality and gender diversity service to the community. Their services include Testing, Counselling, Education,  working with Social Groups, One to One and Peer Support.

The have an outreach service consisting of 3 members and work closely with Colleges and Schools.

Carys to contact both CHS and EBA with a view to delivering some support to the schools, also interested in attending the Congleton Family Fun Day. MS send her details.

A.O.B

 

Safety Central.

MS had circulated information on Safety Central. This purpose built facility at Lymm Cheshire is an interactive  life skills centre with 5differnt  zones that help young people learn to be safe in the real world.

Avoid Cyber crime

Know what dangers to look for

Get to know apps

Protect themselves from predators

Be safe in different surroundings.

This make a good trip for schools and can be tailored to the age group on the day.

 

Contact on www.safetycentral.org.uk

 

Note CHS have arranged a trip already Spring 2019, booked up for this year.

 

Family Fun Fest -10th April Congleton Leisure Centre.

The event offers tasters across a wide range of sports. Included in the day is a Bouncy Castle, Fire Engine, Police Car with crash sim, food stall, dance activities Teen Gym etc etc. Free to all.

MS circulate poster, CHS put on big screen in the hall.

Amie to put out on social media, Glen advertise around Bromley Farm

Amie contact Usman at Plus Dane.

 

CHS Shelter.

Currently the school is raising money for an outdoor shelter in the Quad area. The £20K project is designed to ease pressure at break time/ lunchtime, function as an Outdoor Classroom and some planned community activity. Building would ideally start over the summer with the facility being open for the start of the next school year.

Once built is it hoped to start a Sustainability Group with students running charity Tuesdays and uniform Recycling.

 

Connected Communities.

Mark advised the group of the first Connected Communities project meeting at The Old Saw Mill, Wed 28th March, 3pm. 4 Connected Community Centres are being developed in and around Congleton although some outreach activity could well be available

Congleton Youth Forum

Congleton Youth Forum met recently, full meeting minutes HERE.

 

Highlights include:

Update from members.

 

New Life Church (Jeff Cutts) Working with Town Mayor (Charles Booth) on developing young people “Mad For Congleton”. This will be over a weekend next spring (April). Jeff would welcome support from our forum members. MS will send out a copy of Jeff’s presentation.

Congleton Partnership. (Steve Foster) Steve concerned about representation form the two secondary schools on this forum. We now appear to have a representative from EBA ( Liz Griffen) but nobody from CHS. Jeff Cutts to raise this with CHs on Wed 15th (Linda Franks/ Sarah Jeffs)

Glen to write directly to D.Hermitt and Steve to raise the issue of lack of representation with Richard Benson school governor.

 

CEBC Youth Support Services ( June Maddock) A good number of young people received their  Duke of Edinburgh Awards at Summer camp (29th July to 6th Aug)

 

Had a great day at Handforth involving young people from across Cheshire East. Various workshop covering subjects like Prison (using a mini cell),Grooming, Drugs, Gangs, Stabbings etc. This was a very successful day. June would like to see something like this in Congleton (Visyon,NLC).

 

November is Children’s Rights Month, we have a number of young people working presentations which will be recorded on video for future use.

 

Visyon – Laura Whitaker. Laura reported that the summer programme went well.  The new winter programme is now operative , visiting both high schools to promote this.

 

Drop Ins now operating from 3.30 to 5.00pm Tues/Wed/Thurs, open to all young people, they can just turn up, it is a safe place with use of equipment.

 

PCSO / Cheshire Police – Amie Gillett. Amie reported that currently the Macclesfield Prince’s Trust programme is not running. Hoping to start in early 2018, if you have anyone wishing to take por please contact Amie direct.

 

 

Everybody Sports and Leisure ( Keith Rogers) Keith commented on the growth in youth activity now being delivered by Everbody. This has risen from 13 youth sessions 18 months ago to now 38. These will be advertised on the website www.everybody.org.uk

We cold do with more activity in Congleton, Keith will discuss these at the site, looking for school holiday/ half term programme.

 

 

Youth Fed – Jeremy Kent. Jeremy works part time and will not normally be able to attend all of the meetings. Currently working on a live porthole to communicate with Youth Groups and working with Cheshire Youth United (Uniformed Groups) to support groups with their aims.  MS to contact Jeremy to see what support Youth Fed can offer in terms of workshop / presentation delivery. Also can they deliver some projects working in conjunction with Visyon.

 

 
Mental Health Substance Misuse- PB Funded Project.

 

Glen’s email prior to meeting.During the last 18 months we have focussed our involvement to get a much better understanding of the emotional health issues and the substance misuse issues affecting the youth in the town and developing ideas to address these in a sustained, effective and community involvement way. These ideas have been as a result of engagement of, developed and will be coproduced by youth engagement professionals, young people, emergency services, schools and youth provision.

The purpose of our project is to:-

Raise awareness and reduce the stigma of mental health in young people.

Highlight the negative effects of substance misuse including drugs and alcohol, especially legal highs on their health and emotional well-being.

Provide young people with details of a range of support available in relation to these issues.

The project funding received as part of the Cheshire East Council’s participatory budget process will enable the following solutions to be delivered:-

Presentations to school year groups and youth groups on mental health.

 Substance misuse detached work with youth workers in known hot spot areas. (June and Amie)

 Production and distribution of essential helpline numbers and key facts. (CHS discuss with J.Money)

 Health and wellbeing counsellor appointment to go into schools. (Visyon – Laura)

 Mental health signs, what to look out for workshop – student leaders –

what can be done, what support available?  (Discuss with Jane Commins)

 Drug awareness day focussed around legal highs.(Youth Committee / MP?)

 Promote positive alternatives which provide access to wellbeing opportunities – sports clubs, youth clubs, uniformed groups, healthy exercise. (40 things to do in Congleton – reprint? / half day Leisure Centre – school holidays)

After discussing the above it was felt that we need to take certain actions:-

1.     Get the schools engaged in accepting the offer of support/activity.

2.     Allocate parts of the programme to Forum Members to take responsibility to deliver.

Glen to resend the project and funding detail to the group.

Some responsibilities were allocated on the day and are indicated in RED within Glen’s email, others will need discussion with various individuals, schools, service providers.

Need to hold another meeting prior to Xmas, Wed 6th and 13th December possible will confirm a.s.a.p
A.O.B

No further issues discussed.
Next Meeting.

 

December 2017 tbc.

 

Meetings will be held 4 times a year and alternate between Tues / Wed and both secondary schools.

 

Youth Forum Meeting Minutes 8.02.2017

The Youth Forum held a meeting recently, download the full meeting minutes HERE.

Highlights include:

Update from Mike Smith.

 

Visyon   Creative Space Congleton                                         :-Activity Programme

:-Wednesday Headspace Café

:- Outreach Work

Princes Trust Programme /Macclesfield                                   6/2 to 28/4 (12 weeks)

Bromley Farm Wellbeing Club Changing Lanes (tackling addiction) Wed 1 to 3pm

Also NLC Thurs 11 to 1pm

E.Stanton safety briefs inc :- Primary E-Safety Training Programme 27/2, 2/3, 16/3

:- Childnet “Crossing the lines” free lesson downloads

(MS sent a copy of the download out to the group)

Safer Schools & Young Persons Partnership working in partnership with CWAC to present:

The Annual Youth Conference – Theme of the day to be confirmed

Friday 23rd June 2017   Venue: Winsford HQ

Free of charge to attend – Further details will be released nearer the time

Youth Social Action fund – grants up to £5k

Wired Gov Report – D of E Mental Health support for schools information.

Pear Communications Young Person Bursary Scheme

Pear will be awarding 4 young people a small grant of £500 each, to help them on their chosen career. Two will be chosen from the Tourism industry and two from the Theatre & Arts industry.

Deadline 28th Feb 2017.

Tesco Bags of Help. Congleton short of applications, go to www.groundworks.org.uk/tesco.

 
One You Cheshire East – Victoria Lockett

 

Victoria took us through a presentation for One You Cheshire East, this programme aims to improve the health and wellbeing of residents by offering guidance and signposting to various services regarding weight management, healthy eating, physical activity, smoking cessation, alcohol awareness and sexual health.

Life style support managers can work with people who are not eligible for the scheme, do some drop ins and work closely with GP’s and practice nurses.

 

There will be a public launch in March, hopefully including Congleton.

 

Victoria to send full brief to MS for circulation.

 

 

 

Next Meeting.

 

Will be held in 3 or 4 months, to alternate between Tues / Wed and both secondary schools.

Youth Forum meeting minutes

The Youth forum met recently, download the full meeting minutes HERE.

Highlights include:

Sara Rathbone – Dementia Action Alliance.

Initially set up by Alzheimer’s Society, Sara covers the whole of Cheshire East, working with many organisations to make CE more dementia friendly. She sees Youth engagement quite key to this work. They are aiming to achieve 4 million “Dementia Friends” nationally. Sara would like to deliver sessions to both of our secondary schools. Anyone 18 years and over can become a dementia champion, if you have anyone within your organisations who would be interested please let Sara know.

GW indicated that Bromley farm are interested in doing a memories project.

 

Mental Health / Substance Misuse.

 

GW to follow up the outcome fo Kooth’s visit to use in June.

 

After that session we set ourselves 3 project proposals:-

To raise awareness and reduce stigma of mental health

Highlight the negative effects of substance misuse and legal highs

Provide young people with details of a range of support available in relation to these issues.

 

It was felt that the Youth Forum should put in a bid to deliver some of these solutions.

Ideas discussed:- Play with a workshop afterwards, costs for this are quite high (£1 to £1.5K)

 

Approach both High Schools to see what they have currently planned, and what we can get onto their syllabus.

 

Look to see if any of the youth groups/ NLC/Bromley Farm/Visyon to see if there is anything they can do.

 

Youth Committee meeting 10th October, both High Schools invited, will add this subject to the agenda.

 

Charlie to talk to other charities (based on Bradford Schools idea) as to how they tackled the subject.

 

Lisa to look at more support for parents.

 

Glen to look at how we get closer working between EBA/CHS

 

Small subgroup to be put together to look at a funding bid of around £10k to put on a play and various other activities. GW will chair please let MS know if you want to be involved. Glen happy to write the bid.

 

Next Meeting TBC.

Congleton Youth Forum meeting minutes 8.06.16

Congleton Youth Forum meeting took place recently, download full meeting minutes HERE.

Highlights include:

Glen welcomed everyone to the meeting. Round the table introductions carried out for new members attending. M.Howell,J.Pestell-Hassal, R.Pickles and guest L.Nagle.

Update from Mike Smith.

 

MS – In Bloom & Carnival funding application forms

 

E.Stanton (Cheshire Police) Safer Schools and Young Persons Partnership x 3 reports

– Cheshire Police Schools Competition 5th Sept to 4th Nov

– 60 sec Radio Commercial 0n raising awareness around-

–  Legal Highs / Healthy Relationships / On-line safety

–  Key stage 2, year 6 & Key stage 3 year 8

– Winning commercials broadcast on local radio.

Visyon – Creative Space Programme (11 to 19 year olds)/ Photography Workshops (9th June for 6 weeks)

MS – Sent out the Evolve Service Provision document (Legal Highs) CHS using them during their RE Day activity (Year 10 / July)

Lisa / Cheshire East – Sexual Violence Support Services Awareness Workshops at Wilmslow and Crewe – Application forms included.

MS – Food & Drink Fest 12th June, call out for volunteers. Contact Jo Money 07833742200

D.Murphy – CAB (Citezens Advice Bureau) looking for young trustees and Readesmore Medical Practice looking for 2 young people to serve on their Patient Panel (contact Denis denismurphy@tiscali.co.uk )
Mental Health / Substance Misuse.

 

(a)  Kooth.com –Lana Nagle

 

Lana Took us through a presentation on Kooth and the services that are offered.

They have a fab website kooth.com where young people can access support on a range of mental health issues, feeling low, bullying, eating disorders, relationships etc. They are commissioned by the local authority so any of out groups can get free support.  They also have an online counselling service which is open in the evenings and over the weekends (M to F 12.00 to 10,00 and Weekends 6.00 to 10.00pm) and also an online forum which is monitored by trained counsellors. Live forum activities are carried M/W/F 7.30 to 9.00pm.  All schools should / could  be accessing KOOTH and their materials they have to offer. They will also go into schools and do assemblies and workshops too.  They have a wealth of knowledge and support, they can also offer posters and wallet sized cards to give to students. KOOTH can support a young person in the interim (whilst waiting other services appointments) and offer support in the evenings and weekends and all from their smart phones or laptops.

If you would like KOOTH to come into your school, youth group or youth council committee then please let me know and I can pass her details onto you. Direct contact with Kooth/ Lana is :- lnagle@xenzone.com

(b)  Glens Paper – Project Proposals.

Purposes:

 

To raise awareness and reduce the stigma of mental health.

 

To highlight the negative effects of substance misuse especially legal highs.

 

To provide young people with details of a range of support available in relation to these issues.

 

 

Possible Solutions:

 

Presentations to school year groups and youth groups on mental health.

 

Substance misuse detached work with youth workers in known hot spot areas.

 

Production and distribution of essential helpline numbers and key facts.

 

Production of a play relating to the topics of mental health and substance misuse – link to Congleton Creative.

 

Health and wellbeing counsellor appointment to go into schools.

 

Mental health signs, what to look out for workshop – student leaders – what can be done, what support available?

 

Drug awareness day focussed around legal highs.

 

Video of someone who suffers mental health issues.

 

Access to wellbeing opportunities promotion – sports clubs, youth clubs, uniformed groups, healthy activities etc.

 

Discussions and Actions.

 

Look to get following on school assembly rotas for Sept term

* Kooth

*Evolve

*Cheshire Police / Jane Cummings

 

Put together a pamphlet local to Congleton re services / support etc – L.Alcock to action

 

Talk to Frank website programme www.talktofrank.com

Lisa to contact Caroline McQuaker re what is happening in Congleton.

Should schools contact all parents re issues around local highs

Do we look to go out into the town with information around the issues eg  a stand in Tesco’s Foyer

Lisa to speak to Dawn Clark to see if any funding available to support an initiative.

Kooth to make a presentation to Congleton Youth Committee, MS talk to L.Minshull.

 

Congleton Youth Forum meeting 26.04.16

Congleton Youth Forum meeting took place recently, download the full meeting minutes HERE.

 

Highlights include:

Mental Health / Substance Misuse.

 

Last meeting we split into two groups to discuss the following 4 questions around mental health.

1.What were the issues.

2.What offers do we believe are out there /current solutions.

3.What are the gaps in offers that need to be filled.

4.What collectively can we the Youth Forum do to address some of those gaps.

 

 

G.Williams pulled together the ideas from both groups and issued them to the forum prior to the meeting (same day)

 

It was felt that we had to a large degree answered Q1& 2 and that today we should concentrate around Q 3&4.

 

Drugs.

Kevin highlighted that there was a possibility of a change in legal highs and how they would become illegal, this will not now happen as there are wider connotations with other legal products.

 

There is a need for comprehensive education on the real effects of these legal highs – make people understand the risks in a graphic, unbiased way. Need to understand there is no real specification in terms of production like prescription drugs and that the strength and make up can vary widely with in the same packet. Something similar to the education on the effects of smoking which everyone now has a clearer view on.

 

CE felt that there could be value in a “Drugs Awareness Day” across all year groups at both secondary schools (they do this with pornography, bullying, ex-offending etc).

 

KB stated that he knew of a lady who has be greatly affected familywise by these drugs and that she may be willing to carry out these sessions. Later in the meeting it was agreed that MS contact KB to see the cost of this ladies time and if she would be willing to do a one off session to CHS Leadership Group (17th May) so that they could make a judgement on the value and appropriateness of this talk being delivered to all of the year groups.

 

**

Information on the “Lady” is :-

Evolve  their website address is :- www.evolvenorthwest.com

MS has contacted CE re leadership meeting date and requirement.

 

Mental Health.

 

A discussion then took place around the issue of mental health. It was felt that the stigma around MH may lead to lack of openness, concealment from parents, reluctance to talk to a teacher that the person would be bumping into on a regular basis etc.

 

Signs are not always easy to pick up on, then when we do or someone confides in you, how do you handle the situation.

 

May be a need for a workshop / presentation on “Signs to look for”

 

It may be that we try and replicate the “Macclesfield” model of a “Visitor” someone who goes into schools 1 or 2 days a week under the guise of “Health and Wellbeing Councillor” and is detracted from the school and its day its day running.

JR Commented that delivery of the solution is critical and questioned what was out there to carry it through once diagnosed.

 

Schools / Young Persons event :-

MENTAL HEALTH – A Voice for Young People

Sunday May 8 2016 12.45 to 3.30 pm   

Holiday Inn Express

Macon Way, Crewe CW1 6DR

                                                                                                                            

Possible presentation from KOOTH at our next Youth Forum Meeting. Lisa to invite Angela to attend (8th June)

 

 

GW to draw up a list of proposals prior to the next meeting with a view of having one or two small presentations.  Glen would welcome support from Youth Forum members on this.

 

 

 
Congleton Carnival – Sat 16th July.

 

Funding support available for Youth Based Groups form will be sent out with instructions

 

 

MH and GW looking at developing a “Youth Zone”

 

Meeting Dates.

 

Wednesday 8th June  – Congleton High School (TBC)

Congleton Youth Forum meeting minutes 02.02.16

Congleton Youth Forum met recently, download the full meeting minutes HERE.

Highlights include:

Volunteer Police Cadet Programme

The Volunteer Police Cadet post has been introduced to provide an opportunity for the young people of Cheshire to become formally involved with the Police service.
The programme will include 12 training sessions and the opportunity to engage in practical community based volunteering projects which support local policing. We will be running cadet programmes from Runcorn and Crewe Police Stations starting in April 2016.
The young people will graduate at the end of the course with new skills, improved social responsibility and the knowledge to make better informed life choices in the future. (16 to 18)

Childnet – CPD training events

For schools to know about preventing and responding to cyberbullying.    Taking place in London (14th March) and Manchester (21st March), the events will mark the launch of our government-funded guidance for schools and multimedia teaching resources. The interactive events will include speakers from across government, internet industry, education – and young people themselves – and will provide teachers and school leadership teams with the training and advice they need to manage cyberbullying within their schools.   To book onto either of the events please visit  www.childnet.com/cyberbullying-events

Safe Internet Day – 9th February

Share a heart event. Hearts can be downloaded from ES e-mai

No One Eats Alone Day – February 12th

Last year, over 700 schools participated coast-to-coast in No One Eats Alone Day (NOEA) – have you signed up to bring NOEA to your school for free?

NOEA takes place at lunch time during school and is led by students themselves. The day is Friday, February 12 – right before Valentine’s Day – and we’re hoping you’ll participate. (If the date doesn’t work for your school, that’s OK. Do it another day!)

You know this already: students are influenced by their peers. Teaching students to be inclusive and kind is one thing – but when students the lead the way, the change can be rapid and extraordinary.  We’ve seen it again and again.

We’ll send you a free backpack with everything you’ll need to bring NOEA to your school – curriculum, supplies, and more.

Sign up here to join the hundreds of participating schools for 2016.

Give your students the opportunity to create new friendships in a celebration of inclusivity – the relationships and behavior patterns will last all year. Sign up now!

 

Ann-Marie Morgan – New network structure / strategy for Youthfed

Finally. Thank you form MS for support offered re shout out for First Aid information for CHS.

Youth Forum Meeting Minutes 01.12.2015

The latest meeting of the Youth Forum took place recently, read the full meeting minutes HERE.

Highlights included:

Review of the ‘Uth’Festival.

Glen thanked both the subgroups and everyone who had helped to make the Festival the success it was. He commented on the number of members /partners that got involved in delivering the event , over 500+ young people plus families attended throughout the day and he was not aware of any negative comments.

CH felt that although it was a good event she did not feel that we had not quite reached the target audience we would have like, that is despite social media, leaflet, handouts in the street, school visits and the like.

JM commented that she had come across an opportunity with one of her projects to be able to get into secondary schools and meet virtually all the six formers during a morning and this may be an opportunity for informing them and recruiting some members / volunteers.

On the plus side GW commented that the event had helped encourage new members the The Bromley Farm Youth Centre.

JM felt that the music element created a nice atmosphere and some of the bands names had been passed to Vince Cutcliffe who is organising the Congleton ‘Unplugged’ next spring.

It was suggested that we made the ‘Uth’ Festival a bi-annual event and perhaps have some involvement with The Congleton Carnival (Youth Zone) in the alternative years.

GW to raise the ‘Youth Zone’ idea with the Carnival Committee at its next meeting.

Basketball Hoops (Budget set aside £1000)

GW to go to the next Town Council Youth Committee meeting to discuss their involvement in this project.

 

Congleton Youth In Bloom (Budget set aside £1000)

3 Organisations got involved in this project CHS, EBA and Bromley Farm.

One invoice still to come in, any surplus will then be returned to The Partnership main fund.

 

Chav Fashion Show (Budget £500)

 

GW to discuss with both of the secondary Schools and CTC Youth Committee and try get buy in to the project before Xmas.

 

If indications are that there is real interest in the project by the young people then a subgroup will be set up in the new year to steer the project through. This may feature at The Carnival.

 

Skateboard Park (Budget £500)

Initially part of the ‘Uth’ Fest, but could not find local coaches to support this.

Leohna France believes she may be able to help with a contact here, she will send information to Mike Smith.

 

 

GW to raise the issue with Lee Malkin / Everybody Sports & Leisure

 

Bridleway Maps.(budget £500)

 

Once we know exactly what The Partnership is doing regarding Walking/ Heritage and Cycling Maps then we will approach young people for their input.