This summer, young people from Doncaster have helped to develop a Child Friendly Communications Strategy for the EU Settlement Scheme.
The opportunity was presented to The Youth Association by the University of Liverpool, to influence the research and guide young people through process of the EU Settlement Scheme. The group from Hexthorpe eagerly took on this opportunity and relished the chance to influence top-level strategy.
The purpose of the consultation was to gather information on behalf of the Home Office about young people’s awareness of, and access to, the EU-settlement scheme. The intention was to produce recommendations for the development of child friendly information and support. Hexthorpe’s young people had fantastic input. They identified that they didn’t really have any understanding of this process but that they would most likely be the family members translating for parents to go through the process.
The Youth Association’s youth workers were later invited onto the Home Office steering group, which looks at the phase 1 report. They visited the Home Office and discussed the issues identified by young people. Young people’s feedback influenced the recommendations fed back to the Home Office Marketing and the next phase of consultation will be held in Autumn. The group from Hexthorpe will once again take part in the process.
The young people’s guide to the EU settlement will ensure young people understand the process and know where they can go to for support. Young people may have the responsibility of completing applications for their families which highlights the importance of this guidance document.
Youth workers were very pleased to have been invited to attend the Home Office to discuss phase two of the process. The young people are looking forward to being part of phase 2 – the next stage of the project – where they will have the very important job of analysing the document before the final version is rolled out.
Our work in Hexthorpe is made possible thanks to funding from The National Lottery Community Fund, South Yorkshire’s Community Foundation, EXPECT youth and the Doncaster Opportunity Area. These partners enable us to work on the streets of Hexthorpe, where we engage the local community and help to raise skills and aspirations.
