Hackney Community Engagement Board

Options for meaningful, long-lasting, and effective Involvement of young people

Option 1• 3-4 young people join the board in their own right

but as youth ‘reps’ and are supported to attend and give feedback though the groups they represent.

Pros Cons

Young people involved as FULL members of the Community Engagement Board in their own rightAgendas contained within one set of meetings

Limits the scope for wider youth involvementA lot of pressure on a small number of young people requiring strong support to avoid isolationWill Board still be adult dominated?Jargon & language

Option 2• ‘Youth Reps’ attend as before but they are from a young

people’s board. The young people’s board meet once a month and send their reps to the full board. Every other meeting adults attend part of their meeting. There are 2 events a year to help the 2 boards work effectively together.

Pros Cons

Young people less inhibited and are able to meet on their own termsBoth boards work together

Can be confusion over agendas, decision-making, feeding back / sharing, power and roles. Delayed ‘dialogue’Who would be responsible for establishing and supporting this ‘youth’ board?Another forum requiring support and resourcesThe youth board could remain purely consultative

Option 3• The Board develops an on-going relationship with

area youth forums (Hackney Youth Parliament) and estate-based youth committees and ensure these groups feed into the decision-making processes of the full board.

Pros Cons

The board works with already developed fora

Potential for missed opportunities if the relationship is not closerNot clear how young people would get ‘fully’; involvedConflicting priorities. Could remain purely consultative

Option 4• A series of events or projects commissioned

by the Community Engagement Board.

Pros Cons

A wider range of young people would be ‘involved’Young people like organising and getting involved with projects or eventsYoung peoples ideas working through to other young people quickly

Young people lose some opportunities to influence decisions directlyUnless board members involved with events; lost opportunity of direct working together