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About Medway Youth Council
Why we exist
The Medway Youth Council (MYC) started in 1998, as the Medway Youth Parliament, with our official launch in 1999. In September 2017, we changed our name to the Medway Youth Council, under the leadership of George Perfect.
It is a forum for young people – run by young people. We are solely independent but are supported by the Medway Council. MYC has two key roles: to address issues raised by young people, and to act as a consultative group for decision-makers.
Members represent their peers within this organisation, and we welcome all young people aged 11-18 to join our organisation. We have a very good feedback framework which allows all young people to get their voices heard through their school councils, then their MYC representative, and if appropriate on to the UK Youth Parliament to be heard nationally.
The whole Youth Council meets once a month, and our Cabinet team also meet monthly to set the agenda for meetings from issues raised by members or the young people of Medway. Smaller meetings are also organised and operate much more frequently.
The Organisation Chair chairs both Full Youth Council and Cabinet, thus is responsible for the strategic leadership of the organisation.
What do we get up to?
As well as our meetings, the members of the youth council are very active in the local community, often meeting with other local organisations or councils.
Furthermore, every year Medway Youth Council runs an 'annual conference', which is an event where the youth council run a series of workshops for some young people in Medway, based on an issue which the young people of Medway voted for as being important. Through these workshops, data is gathered and presented to Medway Council to help them resolve the issue.
Find out more about what we get up to by clicking our news articles to the side or by clicking below to see our news page!
What is the role of Local Youth Councils?
Local youth councils are forums that represent the views of young people at a local level. Run by young people for young people, they give young people a voice and enable them to make their views heard in the decision-making process.
They give young people the chance to discuss relevant issues, engage with decision makers and contribute to improving the lives of young people within their communities.
There are currently over 620 youth councils active across the UK. They work with all levels of local government including Parish and Community Councils as well as Unitary Authorities, Borough and County Councils.
Medway Youth Council holds two non-voting members on the Medway Council’s Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny committee.
The first post is held by the Chair, and the second is held by a member of the Cabinet. The Chair rotates different cabinet members within the second position to ensure that everyone in the cabinet has the opportunity to attend.
The Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Committee scrutinises services and policies relating to children’s services throughout Medway.
Its remit includes early years, education, youth justice, social care, children and family services and scrutiny of children’s health.
The Medway Youth Council is a full member of the British Youth Council, and is part of the British Youth Council's network.
The UK Youth Parliament has 369 elected Members of Youth Parliament aged 11-18. Members of Youth Parliament are elected in annual youth elections throughout the UK, and any young person aged 11-18 can stand or vote.
In the past two years one million young people have voted in UK Youth Parliament elections. Once elected, Members of Youth Parliament organise events and projects, run campaigns and influence decision makers on the issues which matter most to young people.
All Members of Youth Parliament meet nationally twice a year at the UK Youth Parliament Annual Conference and the UK Youth Parliament House of Commons Sitting.
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