SOUTH YORKSHIRE’S MAYOR CALLS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO HELP SHAPE THE FUTURE OF SOUTH YORKSHIRE

Published 16 September 2024 at 10:53am

South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) is extending the membership of its Youth Combined Authority (YCA) and is looking for young people aged 11-24 years to join.

The YCA is a chance for young people to get involved in supporting the work and priorities of SYMCA and South Yorkshire’s Mayor, Oliver Coppard.

The Mayor’s priorities include improving South Yorkshire’s economy, transport and active travel across South Yorkshire, planting 1.4 million trees and improving health outcomes for South Yorkshire’s residents. He recently took on responsibilities for policing, and is focused on improving the safety of our communities and taking a zero-tolerance approach to knife crime.

SYMCA is responsible for transport, housing, skills, training & education, employability and tackling climate change across South Yorkshire.

If you are passionate about South Yorkshire, and about helping to shape its future, this is for you. You don’t need experience or knowledge of politics, or to have been involved in something like this before. It’s a great opportunity to learn, meet new people and have fun, as well as make a difference in South Yorkshire.

We’ll be holding an initial launch event, supported by the Youth Work Unit, on Saturday 12 October from 10.45am in Doncaster, for all those who are interested in getting involved.

South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard said: ‘It’s South Yorkshire’s young people who will live with the consequences of the decisions we make now. That’s why they need to be heard loud and clear as we develop our ideas and put our plans in place. I want South Yorkshire to be a place where our young people can stay near but go far. I look forward to working with the Youth Combined Authority to make sure that vision becomes a reality.”

The launch workshop will take place from 10.45am-1.30pm in a central location in Doncaster, located near public transport routes. Registration is through EventBrite at All Things South Yorkshire Tickets, Sat 12 Oct 2024 at 10:45.

At the workshop, attendees will explore how young people can work with and influence SYMCA and the Mayor, and what commitment might be needed on an ongoing basis.

Charlee Bewsher, The Youth Work Unit’s Strategy Manager for Yorkshire and the Humber, added: “The South Yorkshire Youth Combined Assembly (SY YCA) is a great project, supporting SYMCA to hear the voices of young people and respond positively, such as with the Zoom travel pass for young people.

“Joining SY YCA is unique opportunity to influence positive change in both local communities and across South Yorkshire. Launch day will explore how priorities of young people and SYMCA overlap and how we can work together in the future to make South Yorkshire the best place to live.”

Any young person without a youth worker will need to request a consent form through the Youth Work Unit, and anyone aged under 16 years will be required to travel to and from the venue with an appropriate adult.