Cumberland Lodge an education charity contacted NE Youth at the beginning of 2024 regarding workshops they would like to deliver to young people around the importance of democracy and what democracy is.
NE Youth organised 2 separate workshops, one in Sunderland and the other in Gateshead. Over 20 young people took part from a wide range of back grounds and political views. The workshops were facilitated by the staff at Cumberland Lodge with support from youth workers from NE Youth, Youth Focus NE, The Activity Den and The Dunston Drop in.
After the workshops all the young people where offered the chance to attend a 3-day residential in London to discuss and learn more about Democracy. To make the selection fair all young people interested in the residential were asked to put a small piece of work together, spoken word, art, written word on why they would like the opportunity to take part in this amazing opportunity. The work was selected by an independent judge and the 4 young people chosen where informed and the next step of the programme was discussed.
The young people chosen where invited to attend online chats and educational sessions with the Cumberland Lodge, where digital exclusion was an issue due to lack of data and internet the young people came into the NE Youth base to use computers and mobile devices. When then met up on a regular basis to discuss the residential and discuss issues they wanted to chat about, so they felt confident in their own knowledge before the residential and meeting others.
3 young people attended a three-day residential in Windsor representing the young people of the northeast. They attended the residential with groups from Belfast, Liverpool, London, Birmingham, Cornwell and Scotland and took part in three days of seminars, workshops and activities. Young people learned and practiced skills such as, listening to other people’s views and opinion, challenging calmly, thinking about the audience in a discussion and using appropriate words and context and the importance of telling a story. The young people also learned about what’s fake news and maybe what’s just misleading news, they discussed politics especially the recent election in America and through about both sides of the argument.
They final task was to come up with a social action close to their hearts and present their ideas to the rest of the group, using their above learning. The young people came up with an amazing idea around education for local young people around homelessness and what young people really need to know. From this the young people want this social action to happen and have asked me to speak to the SMT at NE Youth for advice around funding opportunities going forward.
“First time out of my local area and first time on train and I am glad I did it with you guys, I have learned so much “
– Stephen aged 20