Young NCB NI advisers meet up
Thursday 25 June 2009
Young NCB NI held its first advisory group meeting in Belfast
earlier this year.
Fourteen members, aged 12 to 17, gathered from across Northern
Ireland for the mighty task of developing a Young NCB NI programme
of activities and priorities.
The advisory group heard from Young NCB England's Robin Taylor
and Dan Fletcher about their experiences and how they had managed
to influence policy.
Dan said: "We have about 80 Young NCB members in England. It's a
tremendous opportunity for them to meet different people and
actually talk to decision-makers. At the same time, this can be a
bit scary, so we all support each other. It's just so important to
keep it real."
The young people learned about being part of an advisory group
and what is expected of them in their new role. The meeting also
gave young advisers a chance to discuss their priorities, so they
can work on projects that are important to them.
Young NCB NI members now have the exciting opportunity to
represent the views of other young people in Northern Ireland and
inform the work of NCB NI.
John Abrenica, Young NCB NI member, said: "I thought it was a
brilliant way to get involved. It's hard work but it helps my
school results and my social life."
Young NCB NI was set up in 2008 and currently has 40 members who
have been involved in various projects. Previous Young NCB NI
projects have included:
- Designing a poster for the General Medical Council to inform
young people of their rights when visiting the doctor
- Looking at young people's attitudes to, and experiences of,
contact with people from different minority ethnic or migrant
communities in Northern Ireland
For more information, contact Gill Crouch, NCB NI co-ordinator
on 028 9089 1737 or gcrouch@ncb.org.uk.