Wokingham

Children and young people will have their voices heard in Wokingham thanks to a promise made by the district council's youth service.

The youth pledge was agreed by a select band of youngsters at the It's Your Shout Re-visited conference in October, after a six-month-long consultation with officers from Wokingham District.

The pledge recognises young people have a right to be heard, have opinions and should be valued.

It says the youth service will work with youngsters to provide safe, comfortable facilities, such as youth centres, where they can be themselves and will challenge them with creative and adventurous activities.

And it promises mobile youth units so children can have services near where they live.

Youth worker Sandi Evans said: "Ideas for the pledge have been brought about by engaging young people in community decisions.

"The youth pledge is a young people-led agreement with the district council's youth service on the services they can expect us to provide."

Wokingham Youth Club member Adam Swallow took the lead in brain- storming ideas to be included in the pledge.

A focus group called the Youth 10 Forum was set up to finalise what should be included in the youth service's promise.

Youth champion Cllr Malcolm Bryant said: "The youth pledge is an agreement that we will offer a quality youth service that values young people's rights and expectations.

"I am very impressed with the hard work that has been undertaken by the young people to agree this pledge with their peers plus officers from the council."

Cllr Bryant added: "The council is committed to ensuring that all young people are engaged in the decisionmaking process.

"This is a landmark agreement between the council and young people in the Wokingham district and makes it clear people's views are very important to us."

By Vicky Huntley ~ ic Berkshire ~ Nov 1 2005