North Norfolk Advisory Board (YAB) Minutes of Meeting Thursday 18 February 2021, 5.30 – 7.00pm ZOOM
Board members in attendance: Also in attendance: Ashlee - Young Commissioner (Chair) Colin - MAP Alison - North Walsham and Stalham Libraries Karen - MAP (Minutes) Brenda - Early Help Mel - MAP Dillion - Young Commissioner Elena - Holt & Fakenham Library Helen - Children's Services, Norfolk County Council Jade - Children's Services, Norfolk County Council Robin - Children's Services, Norfolk County Council Walter - Young Commissioner
Board members not in attendance: Apologies: Judy - Norfolk County Councillor Peter - Norfolk Constabulary Katy - Norfolk & Waveney MIND Rebecca - Norfolk & Waveney CCG Kerry - Norfolk County Council Library & Information Service Richard - Children's Services, Norfolk County Council Lisa - Holt Youth Project Mike - Norfolk Constabulary Neelam - Children's Services, Norfolk County Council Sheila - Cromer, Mundesley & Sheringham Library Sonia - North Norfolk District Council
Action 1. 0 Welcome, Introductions and Icebreaker
1.1 Ashlee welcomed all and asked the meeting begin with introductions, and within that, the icebreaker to name an animal starting with the initial of your name.
2.0 Actions from the Last Board Meeting
2.1 Item 4.0 – Lola Stafford Report 1 Complete Mel to provide board members with clarification as to whether the information on the project had been sent to sixth form colleges. Upon reading the report board members felt this information had not been clear.
Mel provide board members with Lola Stafford project information. Complete
Item 5.1 Complete Lisa requested details of Norfolk Assistance Scheme from Brenda as is aware of young people that may benefit.
Item 5.2 Complete Karen to circulate scheduled board meeting dates.
3.0 Young Commissioners & Professionals Update
3.1 The YAB worked with Kick the Dust and artist Kate Munro around YAB priority: 'Environmental issues in North Norfolk'. In the first session they collected materials from the natural environment (sticks, leaves, stones, flowers) and created some stunning land art. The second session focused on plastics. Young people have noticed a lot of plastic waste being left on beaches and are concerned about the impact it has when it ends up in the sea. Following on from previous litter picks they were encouraged to think about these issues in this session. The young people used plastic bottles from recycling bins to create sea creatures. These were then posted on social media to raise awareness of the issues.
3.2 On Tuesday, the Young Commissioners made pancakes together, which was fun.
3.3 Young Commissioners have created a discord server where they can come together, talk and send messages.
3.4 The Young Commissioners have three YAB sessions a week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Monday and Wednesday are YAB related work plus a catch up. Friday is allocated for a quiz and game night.
3.5 On 10 February, Young Commissioners attended a Kooth session to review what adults think is appropriate for young people their age and online age ratings.
3.6 Young Commissioners have been joining Broadland YAB LGTBQ sessions.
3.7 Norfolk County Council have been consulting with young people on a new Norfolk Children’s Services strategy called FLOURISH. For the last 3 weeks, Robin and Jade have been working with a group of 20-25 young people across the county, going over outcomes framework for the strategy. Robin reported they had been tremendous and insightful sessions, and what young people are putting forward are leading to changes in the framework.
3.8 Norfolk County Council are planning Easter holidays activities programme for children and young people in receipt of free school meals. Information will be released next week. The programme will be running over Easter, Summer and Christmas holidays.
3.9 NNYAB have input some content to #wevegotthis campaign and all information can be found on JustOneNorfolk website.
4.0 Consultation – Rebecca Champion, CCG
4.1 Rebecca had sent her apologies so Colin presented to the board on her behalf. CCG are trying to make sure that people have all the information they need about the national Covid vaccination programme, including young people.
Colin started with a quiz that required a true / false answer.
CCG would like to know whether the issues young people raised at the end of last year are still relevant, and put to the board the following;
Are the questions still the right questions for them to answer for young people? The board felt they were still appropriate.
Do you have any new questions or concerns? A concern was voiced about young people receiving the vaccine, the message was not clear as to whether this is happening or not.
Do you know people who have had the vaccine? What did they say about it? The board members discussed their personal experiences of receiving the vaccine along with accounts from family and friends. One Young Commissioner stated they were nervous about receiving the vaccine due to having a fear of needles but would still accept the vaccine if it was offered to them.
Do you know people who are nervous about having the vaccine? Why are they nervous? One Young Commissioner stated they were nervous about receiving the vaccine due to having a fear of needles, but would still accept it, if it was offered to them.
Do you think young people know the importance of the ‘Hands, Face, Space’ message? Young people do know the importance but there can be mixed messaging particularly within the school environment.
Have you seen any of the national messages and campaigns about the vaccinations? The Young Commissioners reported seeing a campaign on TikTok but felt it was a bit creepy but looking at it from an advertising point of view, it got people talking about the campaign.
Colin collated the responses in order to feedback to Rebecca. Colin
5.0 Wellbeing Bags, MAP
5.1 MAP have put money aside for the creation of 1,000 wellbeing bags for distribution across Norfolk. NNYAB have been allocated 150. The Young Commissioners decided they would like their allocation to go to young people attending school as key worker children and vulnerable young people. Mel contacted 7 schools in North Norfolk and received responses from Stalham High, Broadland High, Fakenham Academy and Cromer Academy. Mel asked the board whether the schools should get a set amount or numbers requested. The board discussed proportionality, and suggested looking at the levels of deprivation, and free school meals.
Colin stated Broadland YAB have identified Young Careers Forum for their allocation and any remaining bags will go to schools within that area.
Robin enquired about the contents. Colin advised young people across the YABs were consulted and from the list, generic items were selected, such as playing cards, mindful colouring book, pencils, shower gel, lip balm, KOOTH information leaflet, chocolate, hand sanitizer, and seeds.
Kerry suggested if there needs to be more funding for the bags could it be linked to the library project. Some of the budget could be utilised to fund new bags, and when libraries open in the future, link it with them or maybe as part of an event where young people would get a wellbeing bag at the end of it. Colin felt it was a good idea and welcomed further suggestions from the board.
The board enquired about costs and Colin advised it had come in at approximately £5 per bag.
Action: Colin review levels of deprivation and notify Mel in order to allocate numbers of wellbeing bags to the schools. Colin
6.0 Activity to discuss Norfolk Wide Wellbeing Focus of 2021-22
6.1 NNYAB have been thinking about their priorities for the year ahead. The guidance from Norfolk County Council has been to focus on young people’s wellbeing and thinking of what that means to the YAB. The YAB will not be conducting a consultation this year. Some of the ideas are that Young Commissioners would ask 3 or 4 of their friends, what are the three things they like to do to maintain their wellbeing, and draw on that information and talk about it as a group.
As an exercise, the board members thought about what young people would be doing in this time to maintain their wellbeing. The board feedback;
talking to each other group chats where different groups of friends, that might not have known each other where invited, as an opportunity to meet new people
writing songs walking connecting from a distance spending time with the family
The following were areas that young people might have missed;
sport lunch dates choice of where to go feeling connected work being in school
7.0 AOB & Date of Next Meeting
7.1 There were no matters of any other business to discuss.
7.2 The next board meeting will be taking place on Thursday 18 March, 5.30 – 7.00pm on Zoom.
7.3 Colin thanked Mel for being such a brilliant youth worker in North Norfolk and within the wider Youth Advisory Boards. Mel will be working on Breckland YAB for 6 months until July but is still working with NNYAB Young Commissioners on Fridays for their quiz night.
7.3 The meeting concluded at 18:58.