Students make their voices count at Waltham Forest Accountability Assembly

Students from Leyton Sixth Form College played a vital part in making Waltham Forest's Assembly prior to the Local Elections in May 2018 a success. They have put together a video that illustrates their contribution to the Assembly, as well as their development into confident young leaders who are actively engaged in public life.

Sanoobar Patel, Marketing and Enrichment Team Leader at Leyton Sixth Form College, comments on the school's involvement in Waltham Forest's civil society alliance and the recent Accountability Assembly.

"Leyton Sixth Form College has been involved in Citizens UK over the last two years and it has proved to be a hugely challenging, rewarding and motivating experience . Our students have been involved in a range of activities from hosting their own Refugee Welcome Summit to piloting a campaign against Youth Crime in the borough. Their passion, ideas and have been at the heart of all the college’s work through Citizens UK and they have become young leaders as a result of their participation.

In the run up to the May 2018 local election, Leyton Sixth Form College students were instrumental in preparing for the Waltham Forest Citizens Assembly. They also played a pivotal role on the night. During this event they spoke at length about their personal experiences of youth crime and the impact that it had had on them and their families and communities. Two of our young leaders acted as negotiators, ensuring that local politicians made clear and concrete commitments to the asks put to them . Students from our Expressive Arts department also provided live music and one of our talented musicians performed a spoken word piece which touched on many of the issues associated with youth crime. A short film created by our media students conveyed a very powerful visual message but perhaps the most haunting moment of the night was a piece of choreographed on stage drama which saw a group of students silently revealing the names of all the young people who have died in the capital this year as a result of violent crime .

These few examples are indicative of how being a part of Citizens UK has been a fulfilling learning experience for the college and for our students. They have found their voice in a public forum through which they are not only heard but counted ."

To learn more about the role played by the over one hundred Leyton Sixth Form College students and staff present at the Assembly, please watch this short video made by the students themselves by clicking on the image below.

Waltham Forest Citizens secured a wide range of commitments during their Accountability Assembly, including:

• Having a say on how the local council distributes £4.7 million of Borough of Culture and Integration money to ensure that at least 30% of new culture, sports and arts funding allocated benefit young people.

• 50% affordable on public land, including on The Score, Lea Bridge Road and Whipps Cross.

• Building 600 CLT, 1200 Social rent and 25% 3 bedroom homes of the 5000 affordable homes that the Council will build over the next 5 years.

• Working with the local council to establish a Mental Health and Youth Crime Commission to learn about best practice from other parts of the country.