Norfolk young people take the lead in commissioning their local youth services

• Name Youth Advisory Boards

• Provider Norfolk County Council

For the last 10 years, Norfolk has adopted and invested in Youth Advisory Boards (YABs) as our way of putting young people's voices and participation at the heart of decision making and helping to develop Norfolk's youth offer.

Each of the seven districts in Norfolk has a YAB, with more than 250 young people trained and being supported as young commissioners to lead the YABs across the county.

The YABs are chaired by young people and work closely with professionals and stakeholders from a wide range of sectors such as education, health, police, the local authority, and the voluntary sector.

The YABs are a significant way for young people in Norfolk to use their collective voice to make positive change and influence decision making. The YABs raise awareness of local issues that affect young people, working throughout the year on campaigns and projects in their area.

YABs and young commissioners identify the local priorities by annually consulting and engaging with a cohort of around 10,000 young people countywide. The top issues young people identify are the priorities that the YABs focus on that year.

As well as focusing on participation and youth voice, the YABs play a key role in commissioning local youth services. Each of the seven YABs have a commissioning budget of £45,000 annually, with young commissioners being at the heart of how this is spent. Young commissioners plan, design and evaluate the projects they commission.

The YABs commissioned 40 projects across Norfolk last year, tackling issues identified by young people including needing more local youth provision and groups, improving mental and physical health, support due to Covid, tackling discrimination, health and bullying.

More than 1,500 young people attended these projects. YABs reached more than 23,000 young people through surveys, online events, consultation activities and social media interactions in that period.

YABs naturally attract young people with lived experience of social issues and young commissioners come from a diverse range of backgrounds, but all share a desire to change things that are significant to them or their peer group. Young commissioners are representative of Norfolk's wider youth population including those from ethnic minority groups, young people with special educational needs and disabilities, young carers and LGBTQ+.

The positive impact of being a young commissioner on young people themselves is significant, with many young people starting out as a young commissioner with multiple challenges and difficulties. However, with mentoring, development and training, young commissioners flourish into confident and capable change makers who are well regarded by the stakeholders they work alongside.

YABs and young commissioners have made such a positive impact in the last decade, standing up and using their voices, showing resilience, courage and doing their bit to help others. Across Norfolk, young commissioners have been doing extraordinary work to improve the lives of their peers. When young people lead and participate in the things that directly affect them, we get more things right.

• Paul Webb is strategic lead for youth and participation at Norfolk County Council
  
  

My View
By Kahmal, young commissioner, Norwich YAB

The YAB gave me a wealth of opportunities to build my confidence and was a “home outside home” while I was growing up and was always a safe space I could access.

I think young people should join the YAB because you become part of something bigger than yourself and that genuinely improves the lives of other young people as well.

The YAB pushes you to try new things and grow as a person. I experienced so many opportunities I would never have had if it wasn’t for the YAB.