Youngsters Join The Big Conversation About Swansea’s Future

Over 1,500 young people in Swansea have taken part in a super survey and are helping shape services across the city for generations to come. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Swansea Council has invited views from 11 to 19-year-olds across the city through its Children and Young People’s Super Survey. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

It’s part of what the Council calls The Big Conversation – a range of activities from surveys to forums and other meeting opportunities giving thousands of young people the opportunity and support to have a say on and shape the future of the city and services. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The activities came out of discussions with young people about how they want to be involved and has seen the numbers taking part in shaping Council decisions soar from 30 five years ago when the council ran a youth council to over 3,000 last year alone. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Christine Richards, Cabinet Member for Services for Children and Young People, said: “As the first Council in the UK to sign up to the United Nations Charter on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) we actively support children’s right to participate in shaping our city and its services, recognising the value and importance of listening to what children and young people have to say about decisions that affect them. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“That means offering safe, meaningful, inclusive opportunities for children and young people to exercise their right to voice their views. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Attending a formal structured youth council was not popular with many young people here so we have been active and innovative in finding other ways to give them a voice. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Thank you to all those who have already taken part on the Super Survey. This will help inform decisions on areas including education, wellbeing, leisure opportunities, and health and lifestyle choices and help improve life in the city for other youngsters and their families now and for generations to come.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Super Survey is available in English and Welsh until (deadline here) and has been developed following feedback on the previous survey from participating schools and individual young people. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The survey, which is now live, can be accessed on any device which has internet access, including smartphones, tablets and computers. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Young people can have a look at https://www.vptol.co.uk/swanss16/survey/Opens new window to see the survey and take part. The survey is open for another two weeks. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​