Agenda item

Table 1

Young people currently use:

·      Cascades Football Dome

·      Bluewater (transport to get there is costly at £3.50 each way)

·      Subway restaurant

·      Shorne Country Park – frisby, football, socialising – mixed groups

·      AEI sports ground

·      Cinema (don’t go regularly but would go to Woodville Halls if it was more regular)

·      Gym at North-West Kent College (only costs £1)

·      Woodlands Park (disappointing there is currently no catering/toilet facilities)

They would like to see:

·      Another football centre closer to where they live as transport costs are an issue

·      More indoor sports facilities

·      Dedicated music venue

·      Need to look at other mediums to reach young people such as Face Book, text, mail.

Table 2

·      Accommodation and homes for 16+ age group who don’t live at home with parents, as well as jobs are vital..

·      The fear of crime is quite high

·      Perception of young people is often wrong, more likely to be the victims of crime than perpetrators.

·      Travel for young people in the rural areas for activities is a problem but equally across town can be difficult.  Young people really want activities near by.

·      Cost of leisure centres is too much for many

·      Lack of football ground facilities

·      Freedom pass is up to 16. Really 17 year olds have the same issues and need transport as well.

·      More sports facilities, but semi-formal activities so young people can give less commitment.

·      Positive media coverage of young people needed

·      Young people want to be listened to

·      Could more sports fields be used after school?

Table 3

Q – Have you taken part in the consultation activities?

Yes – event at Swan Valley School

Q – How was the involvement process?

Some activities were not fun but understood that needed to take part in it all

Taken part in a number of courses organised through the youth service – including trips which were interesting

• A lot of projects are territorial.  Recognise that youth service are trying to get rid of barriers so that they are open to all, but young people won’t trav who have an involvement in collecting, reporting and analysing data el. Some would not come up here as it is “Kings Farm”. People from Riverview will come here. Making it fun – “sex, drugs and sausage rolls”

• Going to a youth centre is regarded as a bit geeky. Not the cool kids who are involved with “knife crime”
• Cost is an issue - £6,400 to run the centre, but the heating bill is £8,000. Have a separate staffing budget but no money for marketing. Word of mouth is most valuable.
• Young people at the table said that they went to Ebbsfleet Youth Centre – Liz asked the young people to come and they were happy to do this to support Liz.
• Public transport is often a limiting factor – not just the times but also the routes and prices.
• Need to take a whole borough approach

Q – What type of catalyst would be needed?

Something exciting to spark their interest

• For example, lots of people added the recent Big Day out. There was a great atmosphere and so young people were happy to look at the stalls and interact.

• What about a youth festival esp. with a musical emphasis?
• Links to cultural Olympiad
• Do not have to be huge – could be mini days out
• Developed in tandem with the schools. St Georges would offer their field, Jon had asked about this as part of discussions about extended schools.
• If young people have clear ideas what they want, officers can look at funding.

Q – What about Gifted Young Gravesham?

• Young people on the table were only partly aware of this. Apparently it was one of the most popular events at the Woodville Halls last year
• Maybe Councils could consider purchasing tickets for such events and distributing them in the youth centres

• Has to have credibility – need feedback and action to gain credibility
• Suggested that we could have something like “Yog in the Park” http://www.kenttv.com/programmes.php?CID=15&SCID=40&PID=159&Title=YOG+in+the+Park  – young people jamming and playing. People with a wide variety of interests attended and mixed without tension.

• Apparently the Gr@nd did battle of the bands and made a profit. It was organised by young people ((Can only see this for 2004 - http://www.gravesham.gov.uk/media/pdf/9/m/GrandAnnualReport2004.pdf )

Q – Ever looked at GBC website?

No – use Facebook

Q – Are you interested in politics?

No – young people need to be encouraged to vote. It is all “guys in suits” and they all seem the same.

• Does not interest us esp. as we are not old enough to vote
• Might be interesting if we had more of a say

Good ideas ? shared projects (organisations + young people) ? implement