Agenda and minutes

At the last meeting it was agreed that Finlay would chair this meeting. Samuel would be Vice-Chairman.

It was noted that Finlay would be Chairman and Raajveer would be the Vice Chairman for this meeting.

            RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 6 December 2016 be taken as a correct record.

Finlay asked the following Members for updates following matters raised at the last meeting;

·                     Nina advised that she had not yet been in contact with the Student Leadership Team about Epping St john’s School Bus issue. She hoped to update Members at the next meeting; and

·                     Marley advised that the First Aid trainer could not commit to training the Youth Councillors due to their own commitments.    

Councillor H Kane, the Leisure and Community Services Portfolio Holder would like to speak to the Youth Councillors about her responsibilities and Portfolio.

The Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Community Services, Councillor H Kane introduced herself to the Youth Council. She explained her role which comprised of Leisure Management, Health, Sport, Arts, Community and Sports Development  including the District Leisure Centres, the Museum in Waltham Abbey and Lowerwood, Grant Aid requests, Young people and the Youth Council.

Youth Councillors that belonged to clubs or groups with the district could apply for grants through the Grant Aid scheme. Details were available from www.eppingforestdc.gov.uk/grantaid

The Youth Councillors asked Councillor H Kane about her role as a Councillor and thanked her for attending.

A presentation from Emma Selby and Chyna Desveaux regarding the NHS NELFT Positive Mental Health Project.

The Youth Council received a presentation from Emma Selby and Chyna Desveaux regarding the NHS NELFT Positive Mental Health Project.

Emma advised that both a mobile App and website had been launched to meet the growing need for better communication and universal support in child and adolescent mental health care. My Mind had been developed using an experience based Co-design which established not only the needs of young people, families and clinicians using the app but also took into account their thoughts on how their needs could be met and ensured that the finished product was endorsed by users. The universal app allows anyone to download a version of the App, which signpost users to a number of Apps, websites and downloads that had been approved as helping young people to support their own mental health and emotional well-being. Emma advised that the highlight of the App was the ability for clinicians and young people to communicate using instant messaging video technology, allowing young people and clinicians to keep in contact more effectively as well as reducing time wasted on unanswered calls. All written communication within the app uploaded automatically onto the electronic patient record within 24 hours.

Emma advised that this had all been possible because of the Epping Forest Youth Council, who had taken one of their top priorities from a Youth Conference held with young people across the District. EFYC carried out a great deal of research and planning and received a substantial grant from Epping Forest District Council to put together a program that would support and resource young people across the district to better understand and manage their own emotional wellbeing and also know where they could go for more help.

Emma advised that former Youth Councillor Matthew Tinker and Joe Pascoe were continuing to be involved with the NHS NELFT App and look to help push this App nation wide.

Di advised that EFYC had created a MiLife roadshow, which incorporated inactivate theatre, advice on MiLife boxes and how they can help, NHS clinicians, NELFT and clips on real life. The roadshow was piloted at Epping St John’s School, with comments taken board and the roadshow altered to help improve the service, which has now been role out to all the state secondary schools in the District.

The website available for Epping Forest residents http://www.milife.org.uk/signup.htm

The website for NELFT My Mind http://www.nelft.nhs.uk/my-mind

The Youth Councillors thanked Emma and Chyna for their presentation.

The High Sheriff advised that she endorsed the EFYC project and believed that Youth Councillors were working well head of the trend.

The High Sheriff has asked to meet the Youth Councillors, hear further information about the MiLife project and to explain her role as the High Sheriff of Essex and the National Crimebeat Awards.

The High Sheriff of Essex, Mrs L J Rolfe JP attended the Youth Council meeting to explain her role, to hear about the Mental Health project and inform Youth Councillors about the national Crimebeat Awards.

The High Sheriff advised that her role was over 1000 years old and she was the 836th High Sheriff of Essex and only the seventh lady to do this position. The role originally was the as Monarchs man, who collected taxes but now the role includes attendance at royal visits in the County and support for Her Majesty’s High Court Judges, active and supportive role within the County both in relation to the Police and emergency services and in lending encouragement to public sector agencies such as the probation and prison services and to voluntary sector organisations involved in crime reduction and social cohesion.

The High Sheriff advised that the Youth Crime prevention Charity of the High Sheriffs’ Association in England and Wales was called the National Crimebeat Awards. It secured sponsorship and organised an annual awards which recognised the most innovative and successful crime prevention projects carried out by young people.

The High Sheriff urged the Youth Council to enter as the MiLife project feed into the reduction in crime.

Applications could be submitted to submissions@national-crimebeat.org.uk and the deadline was Tuesday 17 January 2017.

IMPORTANT DATES FOR 2017
Submissions can be sent in from Tuesday 3rd January 2017.
Closing date for entries Tuesday 17th January 2017.
Judging Wednesday 1st February 2017.
Awards Ceremony will be held on Wednesday 15th March 2017 in London.

ESSENTIAL
Each project should provide the following information –
Project Title
Category of entry
County
Name and Address of the organisation and details of the responsible person to be contacted
Age range and number of young people in the group
A 750 word max description of the project including the outcomes achieved to date.

Click hereto download an application form.

Each application MUST be endorsed by the High Sheriff and then forwarded to submissions@national-crimebeat.org.uk

Youth Councillors to report on any updates from their schools.

Di advised that this was an opportunity for Youth Councillors to update their fellow Members on information from their schools. All Youth Councillors have a notice board within their schools and they were encourage to renew the information with the New Youth Council and contact details and make it their own to promote the Youth Council.

Davenant Foundation School – Fin advised that his School Council had raised issues about Bullying.

Epping Forest College – Blake advised that EFYC had been mentioned in the college blog and in the student union to get more young people involved.

Epping St John’s School – Marley advised that a student had shaved off his hair for charity.

Ongar Academy – Oliver advised that Cyber bullying was a concern for the school.

Roding Valley High School – Maitland advised that he had found a place for the suggestion box which would be in the reception area.   

Independent - Ashwin advised that at Debden Park High School they had been part of a charity event for Shelter.

Di to explain about the Youth Council Cup.

Di advised that the Youth Cup was an award presented to four Youth Councillors over the year for outstanding work, contribution, effort and attendance. Officers at the Youth Strategy Group consider the Youth Councillors every quarter to determine the winners. The four winners would then be invited to the Chairman’s Civic Awards Dinner held within the District in March of year.

Di advised that as the elections had been delayed the four Youth Councillors would be selected shortly as names had to be submitted. Officers would discuss the Youth Councillors so far and would announce the winners at the next meeting.

Louis to report.

Louis showed the Youth Councillors the new suggestions boxes for each of the schools. They were to be mounted to the wall and need to be accessible by pupils within the schools. Louis asked Youth Councillors to design an A4 poster to advertise and explain the purpose of the suggestion box, which would be put on the front of the box.

ACTION: All Youth Councillors to design a poster for the suggestion box and speak to the Head Teacher for permission to mount the box securely on a wall that was in a well used student area.

Sam Copeman to report on Social Media – Instagram.

Fin advised that Sam had sent his apologies for this meeting, but he felt that the Youth Council need to either update their social media with Snapchat or Instagram accounts.

Di advised that this was something officers could look into and agreed in principle but a Youth Councillor would need to be the administrator and review the information upload to these accounts. It would be the responsibility of Youth Councillors to moderate and check the information they uploaded.  

Di advised that the Young Essex Assembly had been invited to attend and meet the Youth Council. They had recently been elected to there positions and were aiming to attend the meeting in March 2017.

ACTION: Di to arrange and liaise with YEA.

Items raised by Youth Councillors for consideration at future meetings:

• Transport for young people;
• Cyber Bullying – Toot Toot App;
• Drug & Alcohol Misuse;
• Stop cuts to the NHS;
• Weapons in schools/colleges;
• First Aid for young people; and
• Bullying Awareness

Di to update on a way forward for some of these items.

Fin advised that this item was for Youth Councillors to raise items to be discussed at a future meeting or to have training provided. Youth Councillors were expected to do some research and preparation regarding the item and have a discussion at the following meeting.

Items raised previously;

·                     Cyber bullying;

·                     Drug and Alcohol Abuse;

·                     Stop cuts to NHS;

·                     Weapons within Schools/College;

·                     Bullying Awareness; and

·                     Transport

Youth Councillors discussed a Youth Conference to establish their peers priorities and concerns for their term of office. Di advised that a Youth Conference was normally held in October to co-sided with Local Democracy Week.

New items;

·                     Better information about the politics for young people; and

·                     To see whether Youth Councillors could raise money at school for the Youth Council projects .

(a)          Notices by Diane;

(b)          Notices by Louis;

(c)          Any other Notices; and

(d)          Youth Councillor Notices.

Notices by Di;

·                     Emotional Wellbeing & Mental Health Services (EWMHS) NHS -  All Members were invited to attend a meeting with EWMHS on Wednesday 18 January 2017 at 5pm-6.30 pm, Hemnall Street to talk about the Mi Life project and how they could work with EFYC to improve mental Health Services for young people.

·                     Houses of Parliament – Di advised that two dates had been offered for a tour of the Houses of Parliament on 15 February or 3 April 2017.

Agreed that Monday 3 April 2017 would be the date for the trip to the Houses of Parliament.

Notices by Louis;

·                     Diary Sheets – Diary updates were issued by email every week. Members should look through them as they would include any last minutes changes to events/time or locations.

·                     Transport – Louis asked any Members requiring transport to meetings/training etc should Whatsapp Louis by 5 pm on the Friday before, so that it reduced costs and picks could be arranged.

Notices by Becky;

·                     Constitution – Becky advised that the Constitution was the Youth Council set out the rules of the Youth Council and training about Local Government which would be provided later in the year and explain the Constitution and it’s purpose.

Notices by Gaby;

·                     Attendance – Gaby advised that Members needed to notify Di or Louis about apologies and that attendance would be monitored.

Notices by Gill;

·                     Gill advised that the Youth Councillors had demonstrated a wonderful start to their Term of Office and congratulated them all.

To note that the next meeting will be held on Tuesday 7 February at 19.00 – 21.00 at the Civic Offices.

To note that the next meeting will be held on Tuesday 7 February 2017 at 19.00 – 21.00 in the Council Chamber, Civic Offices.