Former Lewisham Young Mayor Wilf Petherbridge and current Deputy Young Mayor Luziane Tchiegue-Nouta presented Prime Minister Gordon Brown with a report calling for action to save today’s generation of teenagers.
The Make Space Youth Review, co-chaired by Wilf and former MP Oona King, consulted 16,000 young people across the UK to find out what life was like for a teenager today. Young people were asked what they wanted from the Government and what services they needed to have the most healthy, fulfilling and exciting teenage years.
The year-long enquiry found that 80% of the teenagers consulted said they had nowhere to go and nothing to do outside school, so hung around the streets bored as a result. It also revealed that 70% of those interviewed believed that young people got involved in anti-social behaviour because they were bored.
The Review, undertaken by children’s charity 4Children and supported by Nestlé, comes at a time of intense debate about the welfare of young people in the UK.
Wilf Petherbridge said: “It’s been really exciting co-chairing this Review and knowing that the opinions of 16,000 young people across the UK will have to be taken seriously by the new Prime Minister.
”I think it’s brilliant that all the young people I met during the inquiry seemed to think that the kind of Young Mayor scheme Lewisham has should be everywhere so that all young people can get their voices heard.”
Recommendations from the year-long review include:
- A Youth Centre in every community providing dedicated spaces for young people to meet, as well as access to music, creative arts, sports, classes and specialist intervention and support for teenagers in difficulty.
- The provision of a Young Mayors scheme in every area to give teenagers representation and a say in their community.
Mayor of Lewisham, Sir Steve Bullock said: “Young people are the key to our future. In Lewisham we recognise the value of their views and opinions and have a proud record of listening to and working with our younger residents.
“Lewisham has long supported the case for electing young mayors across the country because we believe it is important that we engage with young people and involve them in democracy and decision-making.”
The Review is calling for an urgent transformation of support for teenagers, recommending a programme of Government investment and action to create a “Sure Start” approach for older children. This would provide positive opportunities for all young people with early support and intervention for troubled teenagers to prevent difficulties escalating.