Tim Pickstone

Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg will today use a new and social media initiative co-hosted by the UK Youth Parliament to launch the party’s youth jobs manifesto pledge.

On the day that new statistics show the number of young people unemployed for more than six months has doubled in two years, Nick Clegg will announce the party’s plans using Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

The proposals would ensure young people do not spend more than 90 days on Jobseekers Allowance before they get more training, education, an internship or a place on a work programme.

Today’s announcement forms the next step in the Liberal Democrats’ economic stimulus and job creation package. The plans will invest almost £900m in increasing the number of further education places, giving students financial support to return to college and creating a paid internship scheme.

Nick Clegg said:
“Young people feel cheated by this recession. Everyone knows someone who has recently left college or university with hopes of starting a career only to find they cannot even get on the lowest rung of the job ladder. We must help them now or they will be left behind in any recovery.

Our promise of more training, education, an internship or a place on a work programme will give hope to the nearly one million young people who currently can’t find a job. Facebook, YouTube and Twitter play just as important a role as TV or newspapers in young people’s lives. Politicians can’t ignore new and social media if they want to connect with the next generation of voters.”

More information on the plans below:

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Young people in Bury have made a mark on volunteering by becoming regional winners in the unite category of the vinspired National Awards 2009.

This award celebrates great examples of volunteers engaged in team activity.
As regional winners they have been invited to attend an awards ceremony at indig02 in London on November 26.
vinvolved Bury’s Youth Action Team proved to be a winning formula due to their team work, commitment and contribution as youth volunteer ambassadors in Bury.

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It has been announced that 40.52% of young people in Bury voted in the Youth Parliament elections earlier in the year (an increase of 16.15% from last year). Bury has moved up from 10th best turnout to 6th best turnout in the country (around 140 authorities held elections this year)!

Well done to everyone involved.

Time is running out to tell us what you think about services for young people.

Bury Council is reviewing its Youth Service, and is keen to hear from as many people and organisations as possible. It will then produce a report in November.

The Youth Service promotes and delivers personal and social development to 11–25 year olds. It operates out of four local authority centres - in Radcliffe, Whitefield, East Bury and Elton – while the Phoenix Centre in Prestwich is used in partnership with Prestwich Methodist Youth Association.

The service supports the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme and many others including Assessment and Qualifications Alliance, Junior Sports Leaders Awards. Staff and members are involved in Youth Action Groups, Youth Cabinet and the United Kingdom Youth Parliament elections.

Many partners work with the service, such as Connexions, the Youth Offending Service, and schools. Services include advice and information, joint working to support unemployed young people, teenage pregnancy groups, activities for young people with disabilities, and outdoor adventure activities.

To make your views known, contact youthservicereview@bury.gov.uk or see the service’s Facebook group by Sunday, September 20. For more detail and to ask questions, call Amy Svensson, improvement adviser, on 0161 253 6549.

Young people in Bury will take over the council chamber at Bury Town Hall for “The Debate” on Tuesday, July 14.

The topic for discussion will be: “A local authority youth service is not necessary as it is the parent’s responsibility to provide young people with sufficient funds to engage in positive activities.”

Councillors and other adults will be invited to sit in the public gallery and put questions after the debate.

Bury’s Youth Cabinet has organised this event and all young people in Bury aged 11-19 are invited to come along and join the debate, which will take place between 6pm and 8pm.

For further information please call Heather Cooper, youth participation worker, on 0161 253 7165 or 07900 188695 or visit www.buryyouth.co.uk

Bury’s young people have been voting for a representative and deputies to the “Youth Parliament”. Record numbers of young people aged 11 to 18 – some 7,869 – cast their vote on March 5.

With 1,887 votes, the winner was Umar Mukhtar (aged 17), of Holy Cross College. He defeated 12 rivals to become Bury’s Member of Youth Parliament (MYP), taking over from Catherine Rawsthorne who steps down after two years. Elected as his two deputies are Andrew Gregoriou (aged 16) of Castlebrook High School, and Ruth Hatton (aged 17) of Holy Cross College.

Bury is entitled to one Member of Youth Parliament (MYP) and two deputies, who represent the views of Bury young people at UKYP meetings. UKYP comprises elected representatives from every local authority in the country. Members of UKYP campaign to make positive changes for other young people across the country. Bury’s representatives will debate with young people locally, at North West regional meetings, and nationally at the UKYP annual sitting.

One of Bury’s Youth MP’s, and a local resident of our area, Catherine Rawsthorne, was short listed for two prizes at the Youth Parliament Awards which took place on 28 January at the Palace of Westminster. There are over 500 Members of Youth Parliament (MYPs) across the country and the annual Youth Parliament Awards have been set up to recognise their hard work and commitment to this voluntary role.

Twelve young people from across the country were short listed to be considered for the awards, including Bury’s MYP Catherine Rawsthorne.

Catherine, who attends Holy Cross College, was the only young person to be short listed for two awards:
- The Campaigner’s Award -for all her work on a campaign to lower the cost of public transport for young people; and
- The Andrew Rowe Award - for exceptional commitment to Youth Parliament over and above the expected duties of an MYP.

Catherine’s term of office in Bury is due to end in March but she has been elected by MYPs from across the North West to represent the region at a national level so her commitment to voicing the views of young people is set to continue.

Catherine has also been an active member of the Prestwich Local Area Partnership representing young people over the last year, so its great to see her recognized in this way nationally.

Last night I had the honour of playing a very small part in Bury’s Holocaust Memorial Service. The service took place on Holocaust Memorial Day, the anniversary of the date of the liberation of Nazi death camp Auschwitz-Birkenau. Representatives of the three political parties on Bury Council each signed a commitment on the Day, as we have done for each of the nine years that Bury has organised a service on the day.

As always, school students from a number of different schools across Bury had worked together to put on a very memorable and moving service. My biggest memory from this year’s service will be story, retold by local school students of a survivor of the Holocaust in Poland, who was with us last night in Bury. We also had musical accompaniment from members of the Bury Music Service Wind Quintet and Bury’s Young Voices.

The students also looked at some of the hatred in todays society, linking to this year’s theme for Holocaust Memorial Day - “Stand up to Hatred”.

“Stand up to hatred means not allowing others to intimidate me
Stand up to hatred means making the society we live in a better place
Stand up to hatred means to tell a teacher if I am bullied
Stand up to hatred means having the courage to stand up for what is right

Stand up to hatred means helping people if you see someone excluded
Stand up to hatred means stopping friends saying hateful comments about others
Stand up to hatred means getting to know people before judging them
Stand up to hatred means believing that this evil emotion shouldn’t exist

Stand up to hatred means allowing other people to join the community
Stand up to hatred means doing the right thing even if it involves personal sacrifice
Stand up to hatred means protecting human rights
Stand up to hatred means standing up even if you are standing alone”

More information on Holocaust Memorial Day can be found here, where you can light an online candle.

Last night was the first meeting of the Prestwich Local Area Partnership for the new municipal year. This is the body that brings together the nine local councillors in Prestwich (who are all Lib Dems now!), key partners like the police, NHS and fire service and community representatives from business, charities and local groups.

The main item on the agenda last night was the URBED study into the Prestwich Village Centre, which I’ve already reported on below. Other than that the main issues were:

- Local Grants - we’ve received applications for grants from the Prestwich (anti) Litter Campaign, to purchase Graffiti Cleaning Equipment and to support the Bent Hill area for environmental improvements. The grants were referred to the Finance Working Group to study in detail. Personally I hope that this can be done as quickly as possible as, with the graffiti in particular, there is a issue that needs dealing with as soon as possible.

- Highway Maintenance Program - each year the Area Partnership is asked for its views on which local roads and pavements should be repaired. My view is that this is becoming a bit of a joke - we’ve been given a budget of £108,000 for the whole of Prestwich and the “worst” road, which was deferred from last year because it wasn’t done then, would cost £152,000! I’m not sure how we’re meant to do with that!
In our ward of Holyrood, the most urgent roads were Oaklands Drive, a part of Cuckoo Lane, Mount Road and Parrenthorn Road. We’ve asked the Town Centre Working Group to look into these in detail and make a decision on our £108,000. Obviously with such limited funds lots of people are going to be disappointed, I suspect that the Lib Dem group will be taking this up at a Council level to see what can be done to improve the situation.

- Youth Manager Update - we received an excellent update from the Prestwich Youth Manager on some of the different activities for young people that are being organised. This includes the regular youth facilities which are at the Phoenix Centre in St Mary’s Park and also at Parenthorn High and Rainsough Community Centre. The groups that meet at the Phoenix Centre include time for disabled young people, young mums and young people who are involved in the Duke of Edinbugh scheme. Another good initiative is the “BRAG” scheme, which is running in the half term and summer holidays an d includes a really good value bus pass - more information here.

- Prestwich Cash Office - we received another presentation on the possible closure of the Prestwich Cash Office (see earlier post), yet again we made the points that some people do need a face to face service and ask for this to be considered during the consultation.

Tim

A consultation event for the proposed Heaton Park Schoo/Polefield Recreation Zone on Cuckoo Lane is proposed to take place on:

3.30PM ONWARDS WEDNESDAY 23 JANUARY at Heaton Park County Primary.

The event is a “drop in” where members of the public can find out more, and comment on the proposals.

More details to follow.

Tim