We caught up with some of the children and young people who make up Leeds’ Youth Council to hear what was on their minds.
About 15 young people joined us to chat over Zoom. What did people say at the Children & Young People’s Digital Workshop?
At the workshop, we heard how a lot of the young people had found the pandemic quite frightening and difficult at first. Some stayed at home, but others whose parents were key workers kept going to school, which had been tough because most of their friends weren’t there. On the whole, however, they had adapted over time.
The group had a whole range of ways they keep healthy and well, including meditation, keeping hydrated and playing music. Getting enough sleep was very important to a lot of the young people.
The people at this Big Leeds Chat also shared lots of ideas about what Leeds could do to help everyone stay happy and healthy. Some people said that making green spaces feel tidier and more welcoming would mean that people would want to get out more, especially if there were more attractions such as swings. They said it was important young people had a choice of activities to go to, including things that didn’t mean you needed a lift to get there and back. One idea the group suggested was a Harry Potter treasure hunt. However, they said it was just as important that people got to hear about activities, because not all the information is getting out there at the moment. Making sure children and young people had downtime after school was another suggestion, as was starting the school day a little later.
What next steps did our decision makers take away from their chats?
“Respect views of children. People adapted really well but there has been an impact. Physical and MH are as important as each other. Thinking positive and having fun is critical. Children need to be informed as much as adults. Tap into their ideas.”
