Bucks Youth Summit 2024

Introduction

On Thursday 23 February 2023, we, the Youth Voice Executive Committee, hosted the first Bucks Youth Summit. 142 students from 16 schools joined us to share their voices on the biggest issues and areas of interest for young people in Buckinghamshire today. It was a landmark event, planned and hosted by young people, for young people.
You can read all about the Youth Summit 2023 by clicking the button below.

Youth Summit 2023 write-up

While initially intended as a one-off event to launch Buckinghamshire’s Youth Participation Strategy and the Youth Voice Bucks programme, it was such a success that we decided to host it again!

The next Bucks Youth Summit will take place on Monday 11 March 2024. The venue will again be The Waterside Theatre, Aylesbury.

The Conversation Spaces

During the Bucks Youth Summit 2024, our young attendees will take part in four out of ten workshops, called the Conversation Spaces. You can see our list of Conversation Spaces below.
These topics have been chosen by young people and the workshops are being developed with young people.
Our young attendees will choose which of the conversation spaces they would like to take part in.

Express your interest – schools

Schools are invited to express their interest to bring a cohort of students to the 2024 event, and we would love to see as many schools as possible represented at this important platform!

To reserve your spaces, please complete this short survey by Friday 24 November:

Express your school’s interest in the Bucks Youth Summit 2024

We are also offering the following opportunities:

• Students who attended the Youth Summit 2023 are more than welcome to get involved in the planning and delivery for the 2024 event with us by joining the Youth Voice Executive Committee.
• Students in year 11 and above are welcome to get involved as young facilitators.
• We have 6 spaces available for young journalists.

If you would like to nominate any of your students for these opportunities, please let us know as soon as you can.
Students taking part in these opportunities will need to complete a Youth Voice Bucks registration form and take part in extra workshops.

Express your interest – electively home educated students

The Bucks Youth Summit 2024 will be inclusive to electively home educated (EHE, home-schooled) students. Youth Voice Bucks and the Council’s EHE team will work together to support a cohort of 8 EHE students to attend and fully engage in the day.

To reserve your spaces, please complete this short survey by Friday 1 December:

Express your interest in the Bucks Youth Summit 2024 – Electively home educated students

We are also offering the following opportunities:

• Young Journalists Team
• Helping to plan the Youth Summit
• Acting as a young facilitator on the day

If you are interested in any of these roles, please let us know on the expression of interest form.

Project timeline

• October 2023
  Comms launched. Schools are asked to express their interest by Friday 24 November 2023.
• November 2023
  Conversation space topics will be announced in November. These will include mental health, LGBTQ+/Pride, Vaping, Sex Education (RSE), SEND, and more.
• December 2023
  Time for schools to identify which students they would like to bring and which conversation spaces those students will attend.
• January 2024
  Information on which students are attending and which conversation spaces they will access to be returned to the Youth Voice Bucks team.
• February 2024
  Lots of workshops for young facilitators and our young journalists team to prepare for the big day.
  The event brochure will be published.
  Youth Voice Bucks and schools will communicate about the final details for the event (such as minibus parking, staff attendance).
• March 2024
  The event will take place on Monday 11 March 2024!

Schools – Who to bring?

Schools are asked to note the following when identifying which students to get involved:

• Each school may bring up to 8 students, a maximum of 4 of whom may be members of student councils or similar groups.
• The event is best suited to students in school years 8-10.
• Please prioritise students who did not attend the 2023 event as participants.
• Students who attend as Youth Voice Executive Committee members, young facilitators, or young journalists, are welcome to attend in addition to your 8 young participants.

Why get involved?

• Young participants can directly influence local areas and services through the workshops
  “Today was super informative and a great way to get youth involved with issues. Well organised and great fun! I liked that we could pick conversations that concern us.” – Young attendee 2023
  “A brilliant event. It is a rarity where young people are brought together to have their opinions heard. We have additional youth experiences to push our project further, and the Council gets some really insightful thoughts.” – Facilitator 2023
• Skills development – youth leadership and voice
  “I really enjoyed today as I have learnt to express my feelings and thoughts. It was also fun.” – Young attendee 2023
  “This day has been so fun and rewarding and it has given me the opportunity to do things I’ve never got to do before.” – Young attendee 2023
• Access to further opportunities
  Through our facilitators and stalls, the Youth Summit provides a platform for students to access a wide range of youth voice projects run by Youth Voice Bucks and its partners.
  They can sign up on the day to receive information about these opportunities through to their school email address.
• The young participants will enjoy it!
  “A very welcoming and warm environment that made me feel safe and listened to. Every opinion was respected and valued. A very lovely experience, thank you for having us.”
  “Fun, good day out, lots of fun workshops + yummy sweets. 5 stars – lovely.”

Feedback from schools that attended in 2023: 

• “Great day, very valuable for staff and students.”
• “Fabulous day! Our students have found it really engaging. They loved the interactive discussions. They thought it was going to be lectures but interactive groups were really engaging.”
• “A lovely opportunity for our students to have their voice validated, heard and appreciated. Thank you.”

Any questions?

Please feel free to email youthvoicebucks@buckinghamshire.gov.uk with any questions.

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