The event, hosted by Brighton & Hove's Youth Council, focused on the organisation's biennial listening process, building on the 'Your Voice Matters Survey' which saw nearly 2,800 young residents respond. The survey identified five key themes: inclusion and anti-racism, youth mental health, transport and travel, valuable work experience for under 16s, and the safety and regulation of social media and AI.
Focus groups were conducted on these five themes, with the feedback set to inform the Youth Council's Manifesto, which will guide their campaign work for the next 12 months. The second part of the day involved young people engaging with councillors and officers in a Q&A session, allowing them to ask questions that could help shape future solutions.
“"It was great to hear from so many young people who are deeply passionate about making Brighton & Hove the very best it can be. It’s vital that young people are involved in the decisions and democratic processes that shape the services they use, particularly as we look forward to lowering the voting age to 16 at the next general election. Throughout the day, young people discussed topics that are most important to them and asked clever, constructive and hopeful questions. I left the Youth Takeover feeling truly optimistic and excited about how much better our democracy will be for their inclusion."
Councillor Emma Daniel, Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Youth Services, praised the engagement, stating, "It was great to hear from so many young people who are deeply passionate about making Brighton & Hove the very best it can be." She emphasised the importance of youth involvement in democratic processes and services, especially with the potential lowering of the voting age to 16.
