Lighthouse Youth Steering Group

What is the Youth Steering Group? (YSG)
The YSG is essential for ensuring that all the work carried out at Lighthouse Community Centre is effective, meets the needs of young people and gives young people a voice. The group helps to plan and develop ideas and projects that directly affect them and their peers. They have input into what activities are available for people their own age and will be called on to plan, execute and evaluate young people’s projects.
 
What kind of things can you expect to do as part of the YSG?
The group will meet together under the supervision of adult facilitators who will make notes and give input where required. Upon first meeting, the group will decide upon factors such as how often to meet, what agenda items to include and what group rules they feel would be appropriate. The group’s recommendations will then be given to the management team who’s decision making regarding Lighthouse’s youth engagement and wider activities would be informed by the YSG.
Each year, members of the YSG would have the option of renewing their membership of the group if they wish to. 
 
The purpose of the YSG.
The YSG’s purpose is to speak into the activities aimed at young people that are carried out at Lighthouse Community Centre, give their opinion on planned activities yet to happen, come up with their own ideas and think of ways they can positively engage with the community of Liskeard. 
The ideas, plans and opinions put forward by the YSG will be considered by the management team who will take into account what the YSG has said and make changes or plans where appropriate. The management team will ask the YSG to comment on activities already happening and ideas for future activities and make adjustments where they think these need to be made. 
The management team will make every effort to take on board all that is suggested by the YSG where possible and appropriate. The management team reserves the right not to adopt any ideas or plans that go against the main vision or ethos of the Lighthouse Community Centre.
 
How to get involved with the YSG.
The YSG is open to any young people that feel they would like to be a part of it and feel they could offer something. This includes current members of any of our youth groups, those referred by organisations or their parents / carers, or any young person that wants to apply to be part of the group. Parental consent must be obtained for each group member.
 
Who can be part of the YSG?
We are looking for up to 10 young people between the ages of 11 and 18 with a range of ages, experiences and backgrounds in order to gather ideas and opinions of a cross section of the community. Ideally, we would want representatives from Key Stages 3, 4 and 5. 
We reserve the right to refuse YSG membership to anyone we feel is not appropriate for the group. If that is the case we will speak to the parents / carers and the process will be transparent. That person may appeal the decision.

Communication between the group.
We will keep contact with the group member’s parents / carers through emails sent out regularly. The 2 adult facilitators will set up a WhatsApp group for all the group members. This will be monitored and the group will be asked to follow the same rules when using the WhatsApp group as they use in the YSG. Please see the relevant policies regarding Safeguarding, Child Protection and Safe use of the Internet and Social Media. 

Group Roles explained.
There will be 2 adult facilitators who will be there for safeguarding and supervision reasons. They will mostly remain silent apart from the first meeting where they will give a full explanation of the steering group, its constitution and help the group to establish its own rules and structure. They may intervene if they feel it is necessary, for example; if the group are going off topic, becoming distracted, there are views being expressed that are discriminatory or inappropriate or if the group asks them to intervene. 
The group will be asked to appoint a group leader and assistant leader. This can be done either by proposing a leader and assistant leader, and then asking for votes. If there is more than one person proposed, then it will go to a secret ballot which will be officiated by the adult facilitators. For other roles such as minute taker, refreshment providers etc. members of the group will be asked to volunteer. The adult facilitators will help with this process and all expenses will be paid. 
The roles of Leader and Assistant Leader will be reviewed once a year to enable others to hold the role if they wish.