Orkney Youth Forum gets ball rolling on recruitment drive

The Orkney Youth Forum has embarked on a mission to tell more young people about their work - over a friendly, inclusive game of boccia and a bubble tea!

The Forum has secured a grant from Generation Cashback to help them hold ‘bubble tea and boccia’ events across Orkney where young people can join issue-based workshops as part of fun-filled day of activities and bubble-based refreshments.

So far, they've hosted a stall at The Stenness Fun Day, hosted by Stenness Community Association in September, a Kirkwall Athletics meet also in September, and a Stromness Youth Drop -in earlier this month, where around 60 young people spoke with Orkney Youth Forum members about the issues that affect them. Stromness Youth Drop-ins take place every Friday 14:00 – 16:00 at Stromness Community Centre by Action for Children in partnership with the council’s Community, Learning and Development and Employability Service.

Other events are planned for Orphir, Firth, and Shapinsay in coming weeks.

The aim of the boccia and bubble tea roadshow is to raise awareness of and increase the visibility of the Orkney Youth Forum among young people in Orkney and offer a chance for young folk to enjoy sociable, inclusive activities at the same time.

Megan Clouston is Chair of the Orkney Youth Forum:

“The Orkney Youth Forum is a group of young people aged 12-25 that work to make a positive change for young people in Orkney by having our voices heard by our community and by working together to achieve opportunities for young people like ourselves.

“This year the Forum has launched a recruitment drive “Bubble Tea and Boccia” to gain more members and to raise awareness of what the Youth Forum’s aims are and the issues some young people are currently facing.”

To help prepare them for engaging with young people and the wider community, the Youth Forum took part in training delivered by Kobi Cooke from Youth Scotland and The Generation Cashback team. The sessions aimed to help them to build confidence and crystalise their approach to gathering information on issues that impact local young people.

The information gathered at the ‘boccia and bubble tea’ roadshow events will help inform the Forum’s future initiatives.

The next boccia and bubble tea events take place:

• in Shapinsay on Saturday 26 October between 12 midday and 2pm, at Shapinsay Community Hall 
• in Orphir on Thursday 7 November (Orphir Community School from 5-8pm)
• In St Margarets Hope on Thursday 5 December at the Youth Club at the Hope Community School (community end) from 6:45pm to 8pm.  

Anyone aged 12-25 are welcome to attend these events. 

Richard Smith, a Community Learning and Development Officer with Orkney Islands Council supports the Forum and other ‘youth voice’ work of OIC.  “The Orkney Youth Forum is a great platform for young people to voice their opinions and contribute to making a difference in the lives of their peers and their wider community.

“For example, the Youth Forum canvassed local young people on the issues they’d like discussed at the planned Chamber Debate which is held every two years by the Council and attended by decision makers from across the county.

“Being involved in the Forum gives you a wide range of experience serving your peers and can provide a solid basis for moving into other roles of responsibility in the community, even becoming a future MSYP for Orkney!”

If you are interested in sharing the issues that affect you as a young person, or in joining the Orkney Youth Forum, please:

• contact them via their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/OrkneyYouthForum
• email youthforumorkney@gmail.com
• or contact Richard on richard.smith@orkney.gov.uk

Watch a video produced by the OYF at https://www.facebook.com/watch/?ref=saved&v=2862708703886879

Pictured here are Orkney Youth Forum members (left to right) Anja Silgoner, Iona Dundas (Vice Chair) and Megan Clouston (Chair) enjoying a bubble tea as they prepare to visit a community near you!