The youth of today — with a lot to say

ALL to often young people are portrayed as knife-wielding hoodies responsible for the ills of society. But reporter KAREN DOHERTY spoke to four teenagers who are busting this stereotype by working to make the borough a better place . . .

MOST people’s image of Oldham Council is quite frankly a bore fest: stuffy fuddy-duddies discussing endless points of order. All hot air and no action.

But teenagers Becca Dale, Alex Igoe, Charlotte Kilroy and Mohammed Adil are as far away from that as you can get. They are bright, funny, confident and articulate and among the 67 members of Oldham Youth Council.

Since going live in February, 2006, it has earned a name as one of the best in the country, notching up accolades to cement its reputation: it received a council star award this year, a Pride in Oldham nomination and is part of the UK Youth parliament.

The council aims to give young people a real voice in making the borough a better place for them. But it is not only a talking shop, with plenty of concrete action from setting up and managing their own website, helping to appoint senior council staff and running campaigns to a charity abseil from the civic centre.

North Chadderton pupil Charlotte Kilroy and Blue Coat student Becca Dale, both 16, got involved after taking part in the Fusion residential course to bring young people together and build confidence, self-esteem and skills. “I started to get more involved with the youth council when I came back,” explained Charlotte. “It seemed like a good idea because it is helping the decision-making in Oldham for young people, bringing forward young people’s views and trying to improve their lives.”

Alex (16) got involved through her school, Our Lady’s, while 18-year-old Mohammed, known as Eddie, was encouraged to join through the 146 youth centre in Werneth.

The council currently meets at the former Union Street Lifelong Learning Centre and has 51 elected members who were voted for on-line.

Uncool

Senior youth worker Jodie Barber, whose team provides professional support to the council, explained: “A lot of people have an image of the councillors being university-bound, white middle class A-star pupils. It was a council decision that it would represent Oldham as it is, all of Oldham’s young people.”

But aren’t councils deathly dull and a bit uncool? Not according to Becca, who admitted that she hadn’t been interested in politics until she joined.

“It’s not boring at all. We do lots of stuff. We do work hard, but we have a laugh while we’re doing it.”

Each year, the council runs three campaigns which currently include trying to raise the concessionary age for young people on buses from 16 to 19. It manages the Kerrching youth opportunity fund, including allocating its grants, and is heavily involved with the £5million My Place bid for a town centre youth facility.

Members also attend council meetings to discuss topics such as underage drinking, run the youth council website, www.oyweb.info, take part in training, write articles for the council’s One Voice magazine . . . the list goes on and on.

One important job is helping to appoint senior council officers — including current executive director for children, young people and families, Janet Donaldson.

They have a good relationship with Janet who said: “They are fantastic. They are a really dynamic group of young people, very engaged and very interested in how they can make the borough a better place for other young people, not just themselves.”

Despite their good work, the councillors feel that young people do not get the recognition they deserve. Instead they are all too often vilified in the news and tarred with the same brush as the minority of troublemakers.

“If one person does something it gets generalised,” explained Becca, “People just tend to concentrate on the bad things.”

Jodie added: “Young people are part of community but they have almost been sidelined into this group that should be feared.”

She described Oldham Youth Council as one of the best in the country.

Eddie disagreed. “It is the best,” he said.