Pupil Roundtable held at Great Yarmouth Charter Academy to selecting funding applications for Youth projects in the Great Yarmouth area

A group of young people including House Leaders, Head Pupils and Sports Captains from Charter School in Great Yarmouth have been given the opportunity to choose which youth charities in the area will receive £120,000 worth of funding from the Central Great Yarmouth Place Project.

The mini-panel, made up of fourteen young people from years 9-11, helped judge the applications alongside Kash Sunghuttee, Programme Manager for Right to Succeed- an organisation set up to support communities in areas of high deprivation to work collectively to give children and young people the best start in life.

Kash, who worked with our young people throughout the two hour Round Table event said,

“We’re here working with Great Yarmouth Charter and their pupils because we believe every child deserves the right to succeed, no matter where they live. and ensure that the funding decisions reflect the community that they are a part of. The initiative is part of the Central Great Yarmouth Place Project, which is committed to improving the life chances of children and young people in the area and ensuring that they grow up in a community where they feel safe, belong, and are supported to thrive. The opinions and perspectives of the schools pupil leadership team has been powerful and a testament to the drive and improvements that young people wish to make in their neighbourhoods.”

The project is seeking delivery partners to support activity in Central Great Yarmouth across several workstreams. The youth panel programme, which will give direction of the project’s work in Central Great Yarmouth, with a particular focus on its youth offer work; an Engagement Coach to deliver a Careers/Transition Support programme, and Safe Spaces for young people in the area. Pupils gave their views to help select the successful applicants will be contracted for an initial term of one year, with the delivery plan and budget reviewed, amended, and agreed before continuing until at least December 2025.

Scarlett, Head pupil, said

“We are proud to have been asked to take part and to have had the opportunity to give back to our community by giving our views about where funding makes the most difference. As young people, we believe that it is important to get behind hard-to-reach communities and provide them with the resources they need to succeed"

The panel of leaders from Charter Academy will help ensure that the funding decisions reflect the community's needs and provide valuable insight into the projects that will significantly impact young people in the area. The project will continue to work closely with schools such as Great Yarmouth Charter Academy to continue to ensure that young people’s voices are heard and have a direct influence on policy decisions at a local Government level to create a brighter future for young people in Central Great Yarmouth.