Annual Conversation

Annual Conversation 2024

The most recent Annual Conversation took place on Thursday 25^th April 2024.

The event was attended by 123 people, including:

• Ambassadors from Annual Conversation 2022
• Councillors and Council Officers
• Children and young people together with supporting organisations
• Partners
• Cornwall Youth Council

What is the Annual Conversation?

The first Annual Conversation took place in November 2021. This had followed fantastic engagement from children and young people earlier in the year during G7. The Annual Conversation is a facilitated dialogue between children and young people (aged 10 to 24 years old) and Council Leaders. Before the event the children and young people spend time training to be Ambassadors. As Ambassadors they champion not only their own views and ideas but the views of other children. They then talked with Leaders and worked together to agree three pledges, one for each of the three identified priorities. Leaders and Ambassadors will share the accountability to ensure that these pledges are achieved. You can read about last year's pledges here.

What happened at The Annual Conversation 2024?

Children, young people and organisations came together to share and celebrate their work in a marketplace.

Celebrations and successes were shared from the Annual Conversation 2022 pledge groups. One of the outcomes that was shared was a video. The video was to raise awareness of how important it is to ask children and young people for their thoughts, ideas and solutions. The video also raises important points around gender inequalities in public and community spaces.

The attendees split into 6 groups to look at some of the topics that are important to children and young people. The priority topics for this year’s conversation were:

• Smoking and Vaping (marketing, availability and perceptions)
• Feeling safe in our communities (particularly in the dark)
• Cost of Living – free school meals in schools
• Emotional Health and Wellbeing – training for adults and young people
• Being heard, valued and taken seriously by people who are there to protect me and keep me safe.
• Transition – particularly between primary school and secondary school – young people’s experience

Four photos: one of adults and young people in Council Chambers, a lady putting a sticky note on a flip chart with lots of other sticky notes. One young person interviewing another and a map of Cornwall with stars on it to represent where people have travelled from.

What were the outcomes, priorities and actions which came out of the conversations on the night?

Smoking and Vaping Group

1. Trading Standards to run a marketing campaign encouraging. The campaign will enable anonymous reporting about shops which sell to young people.

2. Develop a film about safe communal social spaces in schools. Let schools know how young people feel about toilets and vaping.

Feeling Safe in our communities Group

1. Cornwall Council to find out about the cost and practicality of introducing motion sensor street lighting.

2. Call out for volunteers to help keep youth groups and young people’s activities running.

3. Marketing campaign about the support and resources in the community for children, young people and families. A QR code will be used so people can find out about it). Video/webinar to share with schools and other groups for sharing far and wide to make sure it reaches young people.

Cost of Living Group

1. Find support to help with the impact of the cost of equipment for young people with disabilities and health problems.

2. Can we do anything to support the hidden costs for rural communities which impacts on accessing hobbies?

3. Create more opportunities to discuss cost of living and feedback on initiatives already in place.

Emotional Health and Wellbeing Group

1. Create a directory of learning opportunities – map what is available and who the training is relevant for

2. Make training more accessible – advertise it where young people will see it.

3. Sign-posting to help and support – where are safe places to publicise this?

4. Safe places within the community for children and young people to be – all to consider where are these spaces? Who are the people who could be trained to listen and to signpost?

Being Heard, Values and Taken Seriously Group

1. ‘Take Me Seriously’ campaign – raise awareness of the importance of voice and rights to be heard.

2. Strengthen Youth Council links to schools and settings across Cornwall.

3. Support 'Relationships Matter' training. A relationship-based approach is important when supporting people to maintain positive social, emotional mental health and wellbeing.

Transition Group

1. Tells schools it would help pupils if the transition period was longer between year 6 to year 7. And to help build connections and relationships between primary and secondary schools and the pupils.

2. Buddying and mentoring should be available for year 7 pupils (by an older pupil in the school). This is particularly important for SEND / ASD and ensuring pupils have support for the first 12-18 months.

3. Ensure pupils who transition to a school during the year, have the same level of support as those going from year 6 into year 7.

Three photos: A young person sat with a pen in their hand. The back of some adults sat in chambers. A member of the Y7 news team stood in front of the Cornwall Youth Council banner.

What happens next?

Those who were involved in the groups on the night will be working to get answers and connect with people who can make plans and turn these into actions. The Children's Rights Team will make sure where there are updates, they go back to the people who were involved in the conversations. Keep an eye on this page for updates.

Will there be an Annual Conversation next year?

Absolutely! We hope this will happen every year for children and young people to connect with adults to have conversations about things that matter to them.

How can I get involved?

Keep an eye on this page. We will release the date for the next Annual Conversation over the coming months.

If you would like to find out more, please email childrensrights@cornwall.gov.uk

If you are young person and want to be involved in making a difference in Cornwall, please visit Cornwall Youth Council-Let's Talk Cornwall. To get involved in Cornwall Youth Council please email: youthcouncil@cornwall.gov.uk