I bought the Government’s Citizen’s Jury’s were bought to Swanshurst School in Billesley on Wednesday. 30 school-children from Hall Green School, Swanshurst Girls School and Kings Heath Boys School were consulted on their views on the government’s ’10 Year Youth Strategy’.  

I was joined by Pete Norman from the Maypole Centre, as well as Chief Superintendent Dave Mirfield and PC Caroline Riley from West Midlands Police. The groups discussed issues that matter to young people today ranging from crime and anti-social behaviour to how politicians and society treat them. 

The event was a chance for young people to feed directly into the government’s policy on youth facilities and I will present a report to Rt Hon Ed Balls MP, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families.  

Discussing youth facilities available to them, the group suggested new ways of offering young people activities outside of school. This included ideas such as increased sports clubs that offer a wider range of leisure activities such as yoga, pilates and scuba diving. 

I feel privileged that this group of students gave up their time to tell me about their views on youth facilities. Often young people are presumed to be uninterested about politics but it was fantastic to see this group so engaged. 

This was a fantastic opportunity for myself, as well as the youth service and the police, to listen to the concerns and needs of young people. I know that Ed Balls is looking forward to hearing about what was discussed as part of the government’s 10 Year Youth Strategy and the Labour Government’s commitment to listening to people’s views.