Agenda item

Penny Hay and Dr Melanie Macer gave a presentation to the Panel on the subject of the Child Friendly City. A copy of the presentation can be found on the Panel’s Minute Book and online as an attachment to these minutes, a summary is set out below.

Vision for Bath and North East Somerset:

•  Key aspect of the Creative and Cultural Strategy

•  Current focus on public spaces, access to arts, culture and play opportunities and children making a contribution to their city

•  Step change from viewing children as passive (or a burden) to ‘a vital city asset’ whose creativity and ideas can help develop solutions

•  Children and young people as responsible, active and model citizens.

UNICEF Child Friendly Cities:

Global initiative to develop child friendly cities/communities

A child friendly city is actively engaged in fulfilling the potential of every young citizen to:

•  Influence decisions about their city

•  Develop leadership skills

•  Participate in family, community and social life

•  Walk safely in the streets on their own

•  Meet friends and play responsibly

•  Nurture green spaces for plants and animals

•  Participate in cultural and social events 

History:

•  Since 2013 the Bath Child Friendly City initiative has been driven by cultural and educational organisations: 5x5x5=creativity, Bath Area Cultural Forum, the egg theatre, Mentoring Plus, Bath Spa University and local schools

•  Launch event with RSA Kickstarter Crowdsourcing 18 September 2013

•  Forest of Imagination 2014 and 2015

•  Intergenerational event with children and young people 1 October 2014

•  Glow exhibition 2015 and on-going consultation with children and young people

•  Proposed International Festival of Childhood 2017 with Save Childhood Movement

What would Bath and North East Somerset look like as a Child Friendly City and Community?

•  Civic policies that have the ‘best interests of the child’ at their heart

•  Children have a voice in decisions which affect them and are actively engaged in discussions about their city/community

•  All children have access to the arts and cultural life of the city

•  Children feel connected with and across their city and community

•  Children feel a sense of belonging and pride in their local environment

•  Children feel safe in the streets and in public spaces

•  Children are visible in the city and are respected as equal citizens

•  Children have the freedom (relative to their age) to move about the city/community independently 

Learn to Lead (LtoL):

•  An innovative approach to children and young people’s (C&YP) participation that redefines our understanding of ‘leadership’

•  A leadership model based on co-production, providing participation opportunities for all C&YP, whatever their campaign, enterprise, passion or concern

Impact of LtoL on pupils’ experiences and outcomes (a pilot):

•  Using existing and new data, co-generated with LtoL pupils

•  Trialling collaboration of LtoL with a new instrument to deliver metrics for ‘learning power’ and pro-social skills

•  Informing development of larger scale research

A proposal for research in B&NES:

•  Spotlight good practice across B&NES to illuminate approaches to transformative learning for C&YP

•  Inform the Bath Child Friendly Community agenda by enriching the C&YP-engaged, bottom-up approach

•  Make visible, potentially hidden (below the radar) good practice to inform policy makers

Next Steps

•  Confirm our short, medium and long term goals towards securing UNICEF accreditation for B&NES CFC status

•  Secure resources to deliver these goals

•  Develop opportunities for wide-ranging consultation, co-production and participation

•  Establish formal partnerships with key stakeholders

•  Embed the process across the Council

Councillor Peter Turner commented that he had not heard the word ‘parent’ within the presentation and asked what role they would take in this project.

Penny Hay replied that parents would very much be included alongside carers and other relatives.

Councillor Peter Turner asked how the effectiveness of the work would be measured.

Dr Melanie Macer replied that effectiveness would be measured by a new tool that would assess learning dispositions. She added that participation and engagement levels would also be used.

Councillor Dine Romero said that it was not solely about giving children and young people things to do, it was about considering their views in many aspects of our work.

Penny Hay replied that there are good of examples of this within Cornwall where they have involved young people in their work. She added that the project would seek engagement from a range of organisations across B&NES and is therefore looking to appoint a Project Manager to aid in this role.

Councillor Alan Hale said that the area of the Child Friendly City should be clearly set out as it gives the impression that Bath is the focus. He suggested making contact with the Town & Parish Councils to gain their involvement.

Penny Hay said that the project was to be inclusive for the whole of B&NES and be seen as a Child Friendly Community.

Councillor Liz Hardman commented that she felt that transformative learning was a good idea. She asked if schools would be asked to participate in the project.

Dr Melanie Macer replied that they would and saw them as a key access point.

Penny Hay added that Mentoring Plus and the Youth Parliament were part of their steering group.

Councillor Sally Davis suggested that a similar presentation could be given to a future Parishes Liaison Meeting.

Councillor Karen Warrington said that through the recent work on Neighbourhood Plans that the views of young people had been sought. She asked how councillors in rural areas could help with the project.

The Chair asked if evidence could be shown as to the benefits to young people of the project.

Penny Hay cited the School Without Walls project as a good example as young people took active responsibility for their leaning which saw an increase in their attendance and a rise in their SAT levels. She said that they were allowed to set their own goals and to show how they can play a part in society.

Marian McNeir spoke as a member of the project steering group. She said that one of the main outcomes from an event that was attended by children from across B&NES was that young people do not always feel safe. She added that it was a priority to make them feel as safe as possible and provide safe venues for them.

Councillor Peter Turner asked if the Diocese had a role to play.

David Williams replied that the Diocese of Bath & Wells has two youth workers and suggested contacting them to see if they would be interested in the project.

Andrew Tarrant replied that details of their youth work could be found on their website and said similarly to contact them with a view to seeking their involvement.

The Chair suggested that project representatives meet with Councillor Michael Evans, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services to discuss the business case for a Project Manager.