Development Officer, Ste Reddie delivers a Youth Lead Consultation for Sefton

Stephen Reddie (DO for the North) was asked by the council planning department to carry out a large piece of consultation with Northern end of Sefton's borough. The piece of consultation was around young people's view on a set of gardens and parks by the sea front. Stephen carried out a 3-part workshop, which consisted of:

Part 1: Introduction, explanation of Young Advisors, why consult with young people? and who has asked for the consultation to be carried out.

Part 2: the young people where given huge maps of the gardens/parks area and where asked to number places on the maps that they thought where negative (in red pen) or positive (in green pen). They then had to pieces of paper to which they wrote down the explanations to why they were negative or positive and numbered them in accordance to what they had numbered it on the map.

After this, each group was then given a piece of flipchart with a question on it and pad of sticky notes. The group was asked to put an answer on each sticky note and stick it on the flip chat. Here is an example of the questions: What changes could be made that would make you more likely to use the gardens/park more? There were 6 questions and everyone got the chance to answer all 6.

Part 3: an explanation on what would happen to the information they provided was given and the feedback process was explained. They where also told they would receive a copy of the full report that Stephen had put together as soon as it was complete. (Glad to say they received the report the same time as the Councils Planning Department.

The final report went in on the 29th of September and the Council will find out whether bid was successful or not. The bid was a National Lottery Heritage bid for up to £5 million. Meanwhile Stephen has kept the young people he consulted up to date with progress and will be feedback to them as soon as he hears how the bid gets on in February 09. For a copy of the report he carried out please see Gardens Consultation in the members area.