OYC Meeting Minutes – 26/07/2023

MAKING YOUR MARK OLDHAM

In this section of the meeting, youth councillors wrote a report to complement the Making Your Mark survey which we held earlier this year, which included infographics, recommended action and further recommendations, for the local and regional issues highlighted.

The primary regional issues (North-West wide) included cost of living, public safety and mental health. For local issues, they consisted of jobs post-16, affordable activities young people can do and awareness of smoking and vaping (which is the campaign we are actively working on).

We later came into groups to discuss the potential commitments we can do as a youth council towards issues. This included:

• Working and engaging with local employers
• Awareness of where to go for work experience and jobs
• HAF (not fitting in certain brackets such as eligibility for FSM, but are eligible for activities)
• Working with schools on awareness of how to quit smoking and vaping, and services to help
• Raise awareness on what affordable activities there are in the borough, potentially by visiting schools and/or sending information about the opportunities. Compared to other boroughs, there are many affordable activities in Oldham.

For smoking and vaping, we have already raised a motion to Oldham Council, requesting the ban of disposable vapes.

YOUTH COUNCILLOR ELECTIONS

In this section, youth councillors were asked to review the current application process to join the youth council.

One consideration made was to visit schools and run workshops to help students write their manifestos.

Additionally, another consideration was to discourage the schools from specially picking out students to apply.

Alongside this, it was made aware that the term “daughter / son / ward” is not inclusive and that it should be changed to “child / ward”

Another consideration was to clarify the responsibilities of being in a youth council, but also the fun associated with it.

EVENTS AND TRIPS

N/R

AOB

Charlotte stated that she will keep attending youth council meetings semi-frequently and pledges to give monthly updates regarding her role of youth mayor.