As a youth work agency we are continually trying to find effective ways to include the perspective and voice of the young people we exist for in our work – both in terms of what we do and how we do it. In FYT we are trying to do this by ensuring that each of our staff spends a few days a year actively listening to young people – especially those who might be deemed at risk. We have been interested to find out how young people understand risk and what they say would make a fairer world for them. Some young people have been concerned about police intimidation, being accused, being caught. Others have spoken about death being a risk for them and drugs and smoking being listed as risks they saw for themselves. Younger people mentioned paedophiles as a risk and feeling at threatened walking around on their own, all ages spoke about the risk of all young people being tarred with the same brush and spoke of being dispersed when over a certain group size, even if they were only sitting talking to their friends. Personal safety was of concern, with one young person citing rape as a risk for them and other people's behaviour through use of alcohol proving to be a risk.

There was a strong sense of young people feeling concerned about being moved on, being prevented from being seen in groups, yet not being able to change this due to lack of facilities and many cited the well know phenomenon of 'nowhere to go'. Many just want to be with their friends; however, sitting on the streets exposes them to risk of others behaviour towards them, risks from adults, risks from Police dispersal and with a lack of powerlessness to change it. A significant number of young people cited the need for somewhere to go as a priority in terms of making life fairer.

I hope you might find this feed back from young people of interest, however I guess the big question is Ð how are you listening to young people yourself and if you are listening Ð what on earth are you doing about it?

Shalom - Dave Wiles (CEO)