Mayor Claire’s rallying call to young people

The Mayor of the East Midlands, Claire Ward, has invited youth organisations, colleges and schools across Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire to put forward new ideas to help young people play an active part in delivering ground-breaking policies and initiatives across the region.

Mayor Claire wants to make sure that the voice of young people is heard at the new East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) – which, over time, will have access to more than £4 billion in funding, alongside devolved powers around transport, housing, skills and adult education, net zero and economic development in the region.

Mayor Claire said: “I know that young people here are as passionate as I am about making the place we call home the best region to live, to work and to learn and the decisions we will be making over the coming months and years will have a massive impact on our young people.

“So it’s important that we listen to and, when it makes sense, act on the views, ideas and challenges we could get from our younger residents.

“I’ve already been clear about my commitment to delivering apprenticeships for young people, but there are so many other areas of our work where their input could be vital, whether it’s about meeting the challenge of net zero, building more affordable homes or making travelling easier and cheaper.

“I’d like to hear from groups and organisations with good ideas about how we could do this here before we develop firm proposals and agree a way forward.

“Young people often feel that politics is not for them and people in power don’t always understand what they think and need. I think we can find new ways of working here in the East Midlands that changes this view and makes the decisions we make about the future of the region better for us all.”

People or groups with ideas or proposals about how to make the voice of young people heard at EMCCA are being asked to email youngvoices@eastmidsdevo.org.uk ahead of a roundtable session with young people and key partners to discuss next steps.