Young People and Participatory Budgeting

Over the last few months we have been working on a project for East Sussex County Council to help young people to participate in deciding how to spend £20,000 in two projects in Peacehaven near Brighton and Hollington in Hastings.

We think this is really important work and reflects important trends in both youth engagement and local government participatory budgeting as was shown by recent speeches by ministers Hazel Blears and Ed Balls. Indeed the Prime Minister has taken a deep interest in this subject recently hosting a "Youth Cabinet" where the Young Mayor of Lewisham - a project we have helped develop for that Council - took the chair in the Cabinet room!

The current East Sussex project follows on from a previous TCC ‘Emotimapping’ exercise there. Over a month-long period local residents from the two areas - including many young people - told the County Council how they felt about their area. Using large scale maps and MSN Messenger-style ‘emoticons’ - expressing emotions such as ‘feel safe’ or ‘feel scared’ - young people identified local places and described how they felt about them. They then went out ‘on location’ to film and interview one another talking about these places and what they thought could be done to improve them.

Common themes were identified in both areas and young people had various ideas about what could be done to improve their neighbourhoods. Suggestions ranged from making public transport cheaper and more accessible, to improving street lighting, cleaning and litter and graffiti, and providing more constructive activities for teenagers.

As a result of this consultation work the County Council agreed to provide money to enable residents in the Peacehaven and Hollington areas to practically address some of the issues they identified.

Following consultation with local residents, Councillors, MYPs (Members of the Youth Parliament), school pupils, community groups, and other stakeholders, a short list of ideas was drawn up for each area and a vote held.

More than 1,000 young people cast their votes in a ballot for how £20,000 of County Council grant should be spent improving their communities in Peacehaven and Hollington. In Peacehaven it has been decided that the money will be spent on organising a community event which will include cleaning up local parks and producing artwork for the local shopping centre and youth club. In Hollington the budget is likely to be spent on play equipment for a local park, improving the local youth centre, and holding a Community Sports Day.

In the coming years participatory budgeting is likely to be an expanding activity for youth services and local government. We are pleased to have assisted East Sussex County Council in leading the way in giving local people a say!