Why?
The ANV AMPLIFY awards aim to champion and recognise the work of children in care councils and care leaver forums. They were held in October 2024 (Amplify – Coram Voice) – Westmorland & Furness Young Inspectors were nominated for the ‘Participation award’.
What?
The Young Inspectors are a group of young people aged 11 to 18. The Programme has trained 60 young people to be Young Inspectors across the County of Cumbria.
The project is totally inclusive and 16 young people self- identify as SEND. The ‘Our Voice’ group of cared for young people have been trained as Young Inspectors.
They are …
- Empowered to challenge service providers and celebrate children and young people’s projects.
- Volunteer their own time.
- Support each other.
- Capture the voice of young people in their communities.
- Identifying gaps in services for children and young people.
- Have influenced the ways in which services are delivered.
Young Inspectors have undertaken 32 HAF (Holiday & Food Activity Fund) inspections. This includes developing their lines of enquiries, visiting the sessions, talking to young people, gathering the feedback and writing a report.
They have offered advice to other local authorities on the scheme and its implementation.
They presented at the NHS SEND conference as an example of co-production.
They interviewed members of the public regarding proposed 20 mph zones in the Lake District.
What difference did it make?
- Provided a conduit between HAF providers in sharing good practice.
- Brought a young person’s perspective to service provision.
- Influenced changes to improve the quality of provision.
- Raised awareness of the environmental impact, use of single use plastics etc.