The Cambs Youth Panel is made up of young people who are educated in, live in or access services in Cambridgeshire. We operate in a virtual and augmented environment utilising online meeting tools to discuss the key issues that influence the quality of life in our region.
Our panel members shape and control the agenda, table the issues that they feel need to be addressed, and they decide how to respond in the most appropriate way. Unlike any other group - the young people decide what the topic is, what the programme will be, and control the priorities of the organisation.
We work with key partners and decision makers in local and national government - councils, MPs, service providers such as the police and other statutory organisations. We have built strong and lasting relationships with local businesses of all sizes.
Together we identify the issues, with plan a response, we budget a course of action and we project manage how we deliver our messages and our solutions.
“We take day trips to Europe - we’ve been to Zadar in Croatia and Gothenburg, Sweden. We start the day very early at the airport and it’s a huge adventure!”
Image from Christmas 2024 at Westminster College, Cambridge.
Every year we create a magical Christmas experience for under privileged children. We have Lego gifts from Father Christmas, fun activities, Christmas lights, music, hot-chocolate and home made gingerbread.
Fighting Digital Inequality
During the pandemic our panel members were the first to recognise that children and young people were being sent home to lockdowns without adequate digital provision to allow them to continue their schooling.
We worked hard to refurbish and redistribute more than 1,400 computers to families to allow them to have proper access to their education and to prevent them from being cut off from their friends.
In 2022 we were awarded the BBC Radio Cambridgeshire ‘Make a Difference Award’ in the category of ‘Community Group’. Our members were also presented with commendations from Chief Constable Nick Dean of Cambridgeshire Constabulary.
Today we continue to appeal for commercial organisations to donate their end of life laptops so that we can refurbish and redistribute them. The fight against digital inequality continues.
YOUNG PEOPLE & MENTAL HEALTH
YOUNG PEOPLE & MENTAL HEALTH
The lack of mental health provision for teenagers is a crisis for the United Kingdom. More than 200 teenagers are lost to suicide every year.
We are working with the University of Cambridge and with the NHS in our region to help improve access to services.
Everyone has mental health and the equality of mental health provision is an urgent issue for every single young person.
