YOUTH PROVISION REPORT Based on responses from over 800 young people aged 11-18 across the borough of Test Valley,

With funding support from:

Prepared by: Dmitrijs Meiksans MYP Youth Ambassador for Unity Member of Youth Parliament for North West Hampshire [email protected]

HHeerree ffoorr yyoouunngg ppeeooppllee.. About Unity

Unity, formerly the Test Valley Community Service, is a Test Valley based incorporated charity who have been instrumental in starting many of the community groups and charities that are now household names in the Test Valley. Their role is to support, enable and empower voluntary and community action across the borough and to support the development of services to meet identified need. During the Coronavirus, it brought together the Test Valley Community Helpline to offer support to the residents of the Borough, showcasing a real sense of community.

Unity Youth

Unity, alongside the Member of Youth Parliament for North West Hampshire, Dmitrijs Meiksans MYP, worked together to launch a new service of the charity that aims to help young people in Test Valley have a voice in their local community. The service will also help young people become vital members of the community through developing opportunities and activities, for young people, with young people in mind.

The first step that the new service of the charity took was launching a youth provision survey that would be able to get an idea of the ideas, concerns and issues young people have locally and how these issues can be resolved and ideas brought to life. The survey, alongside other resources, was sent to all secondary schools and colleges in the area to be filled out by all young people aged 11-18 within the Borough. The responses from the young people have been collated together to form this report, with the hope of giving you an idea of what young people on a local level think.

UNITY YOUTH YOUTH PROVISION REPORT / PAGE 1 OVERVIEW AND SUMMARY

The survey ran from Monday 28th September 2020 to Friday 5th November 2020, giving young people across Test Valley 38 days to complete the survey. The survey collected opinions from young people on the opportunities and activities they have and need, whether they fell listened to the people around them, whether they are involved in local groups and activities, whether they volunteer, whether they want to do more in their local community and whether or not they feel safe in their local communities, including where and where not. The survey received 883 responses from 5 secondary schools: Harrow Way Community School, Andover (340 responses) John Hanson Community School, Andover (381 responses) Winton Community , Andover (111 responses) , (48 responses) , Andover (3 responses) The survey received responses from: 271 Year 7 students (11-12 year olds) 153 Year 8 students (12-13 year olds) 111 Year 9 students (13-14 year olds) 197 Year 10 students (14-15 year olds) 151 Year 11 students (15-16 year olds)

The Mountbatten School Rookwood School 5.4% 0.3% 12.6%

John Hanson Community School

Percentage of 43.1% overall response by school

Harrow Way Community School 38.5%

UNITY YOUTH YOUTH PROVISION REPORT / PAGE 2 OVERVIEW AND SUMMARY

Schools participating in the survey:

Harrow Way John Hanson Winton Community The Mountbatten Rookwood Community School Community School Academy School School

Number of responses by year group

Year 7 - 11-12 years old Year 8 - 12-13 years old Year 9 - 13-14 years old Year 10 - 14-15 years old Year 11 - 15-16 years old

Year 7

Year 8

Year 9

Year 10

Year 11

0 100 200 300

The survey in total asked 24 questions: 19 questions in Section 1, consisting of questions on youth provision, opportunity, voice and safety and 5 questions in Section 2, consisting of questions about the young people themselves.

UNITY YOUTH YOUTH PROVISION REPORT / PAGE 3 QUESTION RESPONSES

Question 1: Do you think there is enough for young people to do in Test Valley?

Yes 44.3% 883 responses 492 answered 'No' No answered 'Yes' 55.7% 391

Question 2: On a scale of 1 to 10, how far do you agree with this statement: "There are lots of opportunities in Test Valley for me to do and enjoy"

200 883 responses 57 answered '1' 150 37 answered '2' 78 answered '3' 154 answered '4' 100 176 answered '5' 120 answered '6' 50 126 answered '7' 78 answered '8' 34 answered '9' 0 answered '10' 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 23 1 being strongly disagree and 10 being strongly agree Question 3: On a scale of 1 to 10, how far do you agree with this statement: "I feel listened to by local people in power" (Councillors, MPs, Headteachers etc)

200 883 responses 179 answered '1' 150 86 answered '2' 97 answered '3' 131 answered '4' 100 158 answered '5' 74 answered '6' 50 64 answered '7' 43 answered '8' 20 answered '9' 0 answered '10' 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 31 1 being strongly disagree and 10 being strongly agree

UNITY YOUTH YOUTH PROVISION REPORT / PAGE 4 QUESTION RESPONSES

Question 4: On a scale of 1 to 10, how far do you agree with this statement: "I feel listened to in general about issues that concern me"

200 883 responses 98 answered '1' 150 64 answered '2' 102 answered '3' 122 answered '4' 100 174 answered '5' 86 answered '6' 50 80 answered '7' 70 answered '8' 41 answered '9' 0 answered '10' 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 46 1 being strongly disagree and 10 being strongly agree Question 5: On a scale of 1 to 10, how far do you agree with this statement: "I know who I can get in contact with to tell me about things I can do in my local community"

200 883 responses 177 answered '1' 150 78 answered '2' 90 answered '3' 83 answered '4' 100 101 answered '5' 81 answered '6' 50 79 answered '7' 73 answered '8' 45 answered '9' 0 answered '10' 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 76 1 being strongly disagree and 10 being strongly agree Question 6: What activities are there already available in your local community?

UNITY YOUTH YOUTH PROVISION REPORT / PAGE 5 QUESTION RESPONSES

Question 7: What kinds of things do you want to see happen in your local community? Events, competitions, opportunities etc. Young people mentioned things like: More shops More opportunities for us to get involved in Trampoline Park More skateparks More sports facilities Upgraded high street/ town centre rejuvenation More youth clubs appealing to all Places to hang out - safe spaces Events Fairs More charity runs and events

Question 8: What facilities would you like to have in the local area?

Young people mentioned things like: Youth centres Safe spaces Shops Community centres A better Town Centre More public toilets - support for gender neutral toilets More green spaces and pitches Improved BMX tracks and football pitches Escape rooms Interesting pop-up shops

Question 9: Are you involved in any community/charity activities in Test Valley?

Yes 22%

883 responses 689 answered 'No' 194 answered 'Yes'

No 78%

UNITY YOUTH YOUTH PROVISION REPORT / PAGE 6 QUESTION RESPONSES

Question 10: Do you volunteer?

Yes 17.3%

883 responses 730 answered 'No' 153 answered 'Yes'

No 82.7%

Question 11: Do you want to do more in your local community?

No 43.9% 883 responses 495 answered 'Yes' Yes 388 answered 'No' 56.1%

Question 12: On a scale of 1 to 10, how far do you agree with this statement: "I feel safe within my local community"

150 883 responses 63 answered '1' 25 answered '2' 100 53 answered '3' 87 answered '4' 126 answered '5' answered '6' 50 94 129 answered '7' 122 answered '8' 81 answered '9' 0 answered '10' 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 103 1 being very unsafe and 10 being very safe UNITY YOUTH YOUTH PROVISION REPORT / PAGE 7 QUESTION RESPONSES

Question 13: How do you feel when you use public transport? (buses, trains etc)

Very Unsafe Very Safe 4.8% Unsafe 4.5% 8% 883 responses 40 answered 'Very Safe' 318 answered 'Safe' Safe answered 'Neither safe 36% 412 or unsafe' 71 answered 'Unsafe' 42 answered 'Very unsafe'

Neither safe or unsafe 46.7%

Question 14: Where do you feel the most unsafe in the local area?

Young people mentioned things like: Town King Arthur's Way Alleyways Roman Way Streets at night Busy roads with limited pedestrian crossings Underpasses Augusta Park Areas with bad lighting at night Anton Lakes

Question 15: Can you think of an area in your community where you feel safe?

Whilst many responses where based around the idea of young people feeling safe at home and at school (with the mention of tutor group bases), young people also mentioned:

Youth clubs/centres 'Very' public spaces Parks and outdoor spaces in the daytime Chantry Centre (Andover) and Romsey Town Centre because of the presence of security YMCA

UNITY YOUTH YOUTH PROVISION REPORT / PAGE 8 QUESTION RESPONSES

Question 16: Can you think of anything that would make you feel safer in your community?

Young people mentioned things like: Increased police awareness in key areas Better lighting in key areas (alleyways, roads) Increased awareness of specific scenarios which young people could be put in (being followed or seeing someone they deem suspicious) Increased road crossings near school sites Increased lockdown and fire alarm drills Workshops from police in schools Better signage on the roads Addition of crossing guards (lollypop men/women) to key schools in the area Increased cleanliness of Town Centre and key sites

Question 17: If you didn't feel safe, who would you tell?

Young people mentioned things like: Parents Responsible adult Teacher/member of school staff (mention of school specific measure where students are able to report incidents via a dedicated email address and a bully button a school's Virtual Learning Environment platform) Close relatives Older friends Authorities Designated Safeguarding Leads at schools

Question 18: How comfortable do you feel talking to the Police?

125 883 responses 98 answered '1' 100 52 answered '2' 74 answered '3' 75 66 answered '4' 121 answered '5' 50 101 answered '6' 95 answered '7' 25 80 answered '8' 64 answered '9' 0 answered '10' 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 132 1 being very uncomfortable and 10 being very comfortable UNITY YOUTH YOUTH PROVISION REPORT / PAGE 9 QUESTION RESPONSES

Question 19: What would make you more comfortable speaking to a Police officer?

Young people mentioned things like: If the police officer made the environment as comfortable as possible If the young person had an adult with them If the police officer would speak in a neutral tone If the police officer would deliver assemblies and workshops at school If the police officer would be in casual clothes and not in their normal uniform

Lots of young people also expressed that they were already comfortable in speaking to a police officer.

THE WAY FORWARD

As a result of this report, Unity Youth will:

Run further youth surveys to compare findings and identify further gaps Work, alongside the Unity Volunteer Centre, with local organisations and charities to create new volunteering opportunities for young people We will work with various agencies including statutory services to organise meetings and workshops to create an interaction between young people and the wider community Create a resources bank that can be accessed by schools to signpost young people so they can contact relevant representatives about issues that matter to them Develop ideas where there may be opportunities across Test Valley based on successful funding opportunities Liaise with representatives that received this report on how their interaction with young people can be developed Enable young people's voices to be heard and to raise issues identified to help shape policy Work to reward local organisations already providing services for young people with a 'youth provision mark' with the support of other charities and individuals After COVID, we will seek funding to deliver workshops to local young people to develop their own projects in the local community that can better the area they live in and more!

UNITY YOUTH YOUTH PROVISION REPORT / PAGE 10 ABOUT THE YOUNG PEOPLE SURVEYED

Other Prefer not to say 5.3% Other 4.9% 6.6% Prefer not to say 10.5%

Queer or Questioning 1.4%

Bisexual Female 7.9% Male 54% 35.8% Lesbian Gender 1.6% Sexuality Straight/Hetersexual 68.7%

Yes 6.2% White English/Welsh/Scottish/Northern Irish/British

White Irish

White European

White Other

White and Black Caribbean

White and Black African White and Asian Do you consider Any other mixed/multiple ethnic background yourself to be a

Asian - Indian disabled person?

Asian - Chinese

Asian - Pakastani

Asian - Bangladeshi

Other Asian Background

Black/African/Caribbean/Black British

0 250 500 750 No Ethnic Background 93.8%

Other Prefer not to say 5.3% 3.4% 870 responses

Christian 16.9%

Religion No religion 72.2%

UNITY YOUTH YOUTH PROVISION REPORT / PAGE 11 . . e e l l p p o o e e p p

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Unity Youth © 2020 e www.unityonline.org.uk e

Contact: Dmitrijs Meiksans H H [email protected]