Wiltshire Youth Summit 2017: Evaluative Report

The Wiltshire Youth Summit 2017 was organised and delivered by young people in partnership with Healthwatch Wiltshire, Wiltshire Council, Wiltshire Police, NHS organisations, schools, and community partners. The event brought together young people from across Wiltshire to discuss issues relating to health, wellbeing, safety, and youth engagement, while providing direct access to senior decision-makers. 

The Summit aimed to help young people meet peers from across the county, express their views on important issues, influence local decision-makers, learn about opportunities for involvement, and gain confidence that their opinions would lead to action. Representatives from 16 schools, Wiltshire College, the Children in Care Council, Healthwatch Young Listeners, and the Wiltshire Assembly of Youth attended. 

Feedback showed that participants valued the opportunity to share their opinions, debate important topics, hear different perspectives, and engage in interactive workshops. Many attendees said they enjoyed speaking directly to professionals and decision-makers rather than being talked at. Young people reported feeling listened to and appreciated the opportunity to influence discussions about services that affect them. 

The event included workshops focused on mental health, youth voice and participation, health services in schools, and policing. Young people identified mental health as a major concern, particularly the lack of confidence in seeking help and uncertainty about where to access support. Participants highlighted barriers within Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and called for easier access to appropriate support. In response, senior leaders committed to consulting young people about CAMHS and working to reduce barriers to accessing mental health services. 

Discussions about youth participation revealed that many young people were unaware of opportunities to get involved in decision-making and community activities. Participants emphasised the importance of meaningful dialogue with professionals, clear communication about opportunities, and practical incentives to encourage participation. Senior leaders committed to improving engagement with young people through schools and local community initiatives. 

In the workshop on school health services, young people expressed concerns about limited access to school nurses, a lack of support in colleges, and confusion about confidentiality arrangements. Participants also wanted clearer information about available services. In response, organisations committed to reviewing nursing support for college students and implementing the new ChatHealth service, while involving young people in promoting it.

The policing workshop identified cybercrime as the highest priority issue for attendees. Young people highlighted concerns about cyber-bullying and online safety and discussed how the police could better engage with them through social media. Wiltshire Police committed to improving engagement with young people online and exploring the creation of a youth advisory panel.

The Summit generated several immediate outcomes. Children in Care Council members were invited to join both the Police Youth Advisory Group and the CAMHS user participation group. Several schools requested follow-up visits from Healthwatch Young Listeners to gather views on health and mental health issues. 

Senior leaders made a range of public commitments following the event. Healthwatch Wiltshire pledged to expand opportunities for young people to influence health and care services through YouthWatch Wiltshire. Wiltshire Council committed to meeting young people in their own settings. The Clinical Commissioning Group committed to involving young people more closely in decisions about health services, while Wiltshire Police pledged to improve communication and engagement with young people on issues such as cybercrime.

Overall, the report concludes that the Youth Summit successfully engaged young people in meaningful discussions about local services and priorities. Participants left feeling better informed, more empowered to make their voices heard, and motivated to take action within their schools and communities. The evaluation also identified opportunities for improvement, including increasing attendance, broadening workshop topics, providing more time for discussions with senior leaders, and giving young people an even greater role in planning future events.