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Are you interested in being part of the next cohort of Youth Councillors? Email Louise.Underwood@luton.gov.uk for an application form!The deadline is 19th December!

The Youth Councillors Shifa and Anniyah hosted the Hope Hack Event at Luton Town Football club, talking about the need to end Violence against women and girls. Alishbah and Manha also led part of the Voice of the Child Conference in Flitwick alongside peers from Central Beds Youth Parliament. Eshal and Amish were invited to be part of the panel of Luton’s first Women’s conference, where they alongside other youth representatives spoke about the need for improved safety and increased support

This month has been particularly busy for the Youth Council! It started with our UK Youth Parliament Members Ali and Yousuf returning to the House of Commons, with Yousuf being able to speak about the importance of Mental Health Support for young people. This makes Yousuf the first Member of Youth Parliament for Luton to speak in the House of Commons! Take a look at him in action!

The Youth Councillors also held a stall within Luton Point over half term, raising awareness of the signs of Domestic Abuse in correlation to Luton Council and Womens Aid’s Raising Red and Flying Green Campaign. We engaged with nearly 90 members of the public in conversation around warning signs, support services and available and writing positive messages to survivors.  Thank you to all those who came and spoke to us!  If you or someone you know may be suffering from Domestic Abuse, please reach out to https://womensaidinluton.org/ who can support those of all genders.

We are so privileged and pleased to announce that three members of the Youth Council were winners at the first ever Luton Youth Awards!  Our Chair, Shifa (centre) won The Young Steam Personality of the Year Award for her development of a mental health support game using the new C++ self taught platform and python. Member of Youth Parliament, Yousuf (right) won The Inspirational Person of the Year Award for his role as one of the first UK Youth Parliament Members for Luton, where he serves as Vice Chair of the Education and Wellbeing Committee.  Our second Member of Youth Parliament, Ali (left) won The Young Leader of the Year Award, for his role as Young Leader in his Scouts group, his work within leadership programmes, his role as mentor at Unleashing Potential and role as MYP. A congratulations to the three of you for all your outstanding contributions to Luton!

Taking place just one week after the landmark passing of the Votes at 16 motion, there was lots of discussion around how this would look in reality, as well as discussion around Period Dignity. A very enlightening weekend was had by all – and who knew we could all get so excited when the Jet2 version of Jess Glynn’s ‘Hold My Hand’ came on at the summer party! The focus of the weekend was preparing for the House of Commons Sitting in November 2025. MYPs worked in five committees aligned with the UKYP Manifesto, covering topics including mental health, transport, youth work, housing and justice. They researched key issues, debated evidence, shared local case studies and began drafting reports to shape future debate.

We have been engaging in our Disability Awareness campaign, asking Council Staff, Charities and Individuals what they think about Disability provision in Luton and how this can be improved – check out our instagram and facebook pages for more details! We also attended Youth Fest, where we asked people their thoughts on how we can make Luton a better place by 2040! We had a great time meeting lots of different organisations, with a special visit from the High Sheriff of Bedfordshire in the rain, and even having a break at a silent disco from Luton Pride Team! We have also had an in-depth workshop around the Child Friendly Town Strategy – giving our views on what’s working well and where we think the gaps are. We are fully engaged in exploring how we can ensure our town better supports us as children and young people. We shared some of the views from people at Youth Fest, ensuring we highlight the community’s voice. Mary Seacole invited us to film a podcast around our Domestic Abuse campaign, speaking to the police about how they support families and survivors. There was also time for us to engage in their consultation about heritage and the local area, ahead of an event in the Autumn. A few of us are shadowing local councillors including the Mayor, and have been enjoying seeing how things work within Scrutiny meetings, community talks and Full Council Meetings. Thank you to our local councillors who have been supporting us!

The Safeguarding Hub’s Youth Violence and Exploitation Curriculum is a crucial resource developed by Chiltern Teaching School in collaboration with the University of Northampton and dedicated partners. This curriculum is a direct response to the urgent need for proactive education to protect young people and foster safer communities. Chiltern Teaching School believe that education plays a pivotal role in tackling the complex issues of serious youth violence and knife crime. This comprehensive program is built on extensive research, incorporating insights directly from young people and leading professionals. It’s designed to empower students with knowledge, critical thinking skills, and the confidence to make positive choices, while also equipping educators with the tools and support they need to address these challenges effectively.

For our Child Wellbeing Practitioners Amy and Humayra who graduated on Monday 14th July! You have shown us how hard work, commitment and passion pay off! I’m sure you will all join us in wishing them all the best in their future work at Youth Partnership and Beyond! 

Targeted Youth Workers will be out in the community at Lewsey Park, Castlecroft Park and Freemans Green over the summer holidays with a host of guests including CGL, Luton Town Football Club, Mary Seacole, One Stop Advice, Bedfordshire Police Community Cohesion Team and Luton Sexual Health! There will be chances to engage in arts, crafts, games and various activities and get to find out more about what’s on offer in your area!