Involving young people in council decision making

How children and young people can get involved and influence decision making in the council.

Opportunities for young people in Bristol to get involved in decision making include:

  • Bristol City Youth Council and Mayors
  • The Children in Care Council
  • The Listening Partnership
  • Young Carers Voice
  • Shadow Safeguarding Board

Bristol City Youth Council and Mayors

The Bristol City Youth Council (BCYC) and Bristol Members of the United Kingdom Youth Parliament (UKYP) are an elected group of young people aged 11 to 18.

Members are voted for in the Bristol Big Youth Vote.  They meet every two weeks.

Being a member of the BCYC or UKYP you can:

  • express your views on the decisions that are important to you and your peers, for example campaigning for votes at 16
  • make positive changes in your communities
  • make a difference to the young people of Bristol

Find more informaiton or get involved with the BCYC

The Children in Care Council

The Children in Care Council meets once a month.

If you're in care or a care leaver, you can talk about important issues that affect you such as:

  • understanding your rights, for example what happens when you turn 16
  • raising awareness of those rights with other Children in Care

The Children in Care Council also offer training led by children in care and care leavers to practitioners.

You can be involved in interviewing job candidates applying to be:

  • social workers
  • residential staff
  • senior managers

For more information or to get involved:

 The Listening Partnership

The Listening Partnership group is a group of young people in Bristol with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND). It meets once a week.

If you're a young person with SEND, you can:

  • talk about important issues that affect you, such as being included in school activities
  • express your views on decisions that are important to you, such as the kind of support available

The Listening Partnership also support you to contribute to the development of education, health and social care services, through:

  • consultations
  • interview panels
  • focus groups
  • staff training
  • inspections
  • projects

For more information or to get involved, go to the West of England Centre for Inclusive Living (WECIL) website.

Young Carers Voice

The Young Carers Voice group meets once a month. If you're a young carer, you can:

  • talk about important issues that affect you, such as the demands of your caring role and what support is available
  • lobby the council on important policies and strategies, to change the way young carers get support in the future

Young Carers Voice also support you to contribute to the development of Young Carer services, through:

  • interview panels
  • staff training
  • inspections
  • projects

For more information or to get involved go to the Carers Support Centre website Go to https://www.carerssupportcentre.org.uk/young-carers/young-carers-voice/ (opens new window).

Shadow Safeguarding Board

The Shadow Safeguarding Board is made up of young people representing:

You need to be a member of one of these groups to get involved with the Shadow Safeguarding Board.

The Shadow Safeguarding Board help the Bristol Safeguarding Children Board (BSCB) to set their priorities for safeguarding work.

For more information or to get involved, go to the BSCB website Go to https://bristolsafeguarding.org/ (opens new window).

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