| |
A failure to get behind the efforts of young people
• I WOULD like to bring your readers’ attention to the fiasco currently crippling the Camden Youth Council.
As a teenager living in Camden, I’ve been a keen observer of the Youth Council since it was first set up early last year.
I attended the first launch event, where I saw dozens of enthusiastic young people raring to get started in shaping the politics of a generation.
However, the young activists have been hindered by breathtaking levels of bureaucracy, red tape and sheer incompetence.
Last year Town Hall chiefs presided over a shambles of an election that would have disgraced a banana republic.
Countless friends of mine were seemingly able to cast multiple votes – what sort of a precedent does that set for a new organ of democracy?
The elections nevertheless saw 36 able young people from across the borough begin to get to grips with the issues facing Camden’s youth.
Since then there has been a constant flow of embarrassing episodes that can only make one doubt the local authority’s supposed commitment to empowering young people.
At every stage, whether it was securing a devolved budget for the young politicians to spend, banning the “mosquito” siren or the recent issue of funding cycling projects in Regent’s Park, youth councillors have had to fight tooth and nail as officials tried and failed to block their initiatives.
We were supposed to have new elections February last, but these were cancelled by bureaucrats because – wait for it – they wanted an independent inquiry into the operations and behaviour of the young volunteers who had, from day one, bled themselves dry in their tireless work.
Close friends of mine who sit on the Youth Council have dubbed this so-called “inquiry” little more than a demoralising witchhunt.
I’m told the elections will now not take place until Christmas time.
The local area youth forum in Kilburn, along with those in other parts of the borough, was axed by officials citing a “lack of demand”. Little wonder why – they hadn’t bothered to even advertise it in schools.
The brand new crime and justice “action team”, promoted in the Youth Council magazine, was similarly scrapped before it had even had its first meeting.
Evidently, it’s not the youth councillors who need to be investigated.
I am currently considering whether to stand in the next set of elections, but unless these unelected adults get behind the young people they are paid to support I have little confidence in their credibility.
ROBERT F NIKOLIC
Westbere Road, West Hampstead
|
 |
|
|
|
| |
| |
