North Ayrshire Council has hosted its second Primary Youth Council.

Taking place last week at Ardeer Community Centre, primary 7 pupils from Beith, Stanley, Whiting Bay, Brodick, St John’s, St Anthony’s and Annick Primary Schools took the chance to meet with their peers and take part in a series of interactive workshops.

A total of 140 pupils were in attendance to learn new skills ahead of their transition to secondary school and find out more about #youthparticipation in North Ayrshire.

The young people shared their views via ‘Conversation Cafes’ and then learning took place through a series of interactive workshops with the themes of:

Financial literacy – where the pupils discussed saving and spending then learned about budgeting techniques and where their families and carers can get financial help;

Transition from primary to secondary – to equip pupils of what to expect and effective ways to manage their wellbeing when they progress to S1 after the summer holidays;

Health and wellbeing – where the pupils were given the opportunity to provide their views on the wellbeing curriculum in education ahead of their move to secondary school. The session also gave the young people tips and tools to support their overall health, wellbeing while developing mental health resilience.

Irvine Times:

The interactive workshops were a good opportunity for the young people to meet with peers from other schools and have the chance to share what they liked about school life and the local facilities near them.

It also focused on the obstacles they and their families face amidst the cost-of-living crisis.

This information will now be reported back the council’s leadership team so that the knowledge gained can contribute towards, and shape, specific policies and strategies related to children and young people.

Awareness is currently being raised among North Ayrshire Council staff to ensure that everyone understands their ongoing responsibility to protect the rights of our children and young people.

The council follows and respects the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) to ensure that all children’s rights are respected and that they are free to learn, play and develop.

Article 12 of the Convention states that each child has the right to form his or her own views and the right to express those views freely.

So while the Executive Youth Council (for those age 12-18) is one of North Ayrshire’s long-standing key mechanisms for listening to the voices of local young people, the Primary Youth Council was formed last year to amplify the voice of primary-age pupils.

Irvine Times:

Councillor Chloe Robertson, North Ayrshire’s Young People’s Champion, said: “Thank you to all of the pupils who took the time out of their classrooms to contribute towards this worthwhile Youth Council event.

“As a child-centred council, children and young people are at the very heart of what we do. By being open, honest and willing to speak up, this inspiring group of primary 7 pupils have made an important contribution in informing the council’s plans on strategies and policies relating to children and young people going forward.

“I would encourage anyone considering getting involved in Youth Cabinet to get in touch with our Youth Services team ahead of starting S1 as it’s a fantastic way to really make a difference on behalf of young people.”

Councillor Alan Hill, NAC's cabinet member for communities and islands added: “Thank you to all the staff from across our youth services and education teams for coordinating the impressive efforts of our primary youth councils.

"The exceptional group of primary 7 pupils spoke confidently and with courage as they represented their peers and shone the spotlight on the issues affecting them.

“Thank you to all the pupils who made the second youth council meeting a great success. By working together, we can continue to provide a platform so that children and young people can make their voices heard and remain at the heart of the Council’s local decision making.”

Visit the North Ayrshire Youth Services page on Facebook or see north-ayrshire.gov.uk for more information on how you can make a difference by getting involved.