A young speaker's corner

The CYPAF lets a wide range of young people pool points of view and suggestions

In July 2001, the Children and Young People's Unit set up the Children and Young People's Advisory Forum (CYPAF) as part of the Government's commitment to ensure children and young people have real opportunities to shape the policies and services that matter to them and affect them. CYPAF is a key practical mechanism to ensure that children and young people from a range of backgrounds are actively involved in the Unit's work on policies and plans and in supporting John Denham in his role as Minister for Young People. CYPAF currently has 25 members aged between 11 and 18 who reflect a cross-section of children and young people from urban, rural and coastal areas across England and a good mix of gender, ethnicity and age.

Members bring a fusion of knowledge, experience, views and concerns about real issues affecting the lives of their generation and have a key role in bringing these to the attention of the minister and the Unit. To date, members have given advice and views on many aspects of the unit's business, including the nationwide consultation on the Strategy for Children's Services, the Children's Fund and the Core Principles – Learning to Listen, the CYPU "young people's" website, the YVote?YNot? project and consultations on the EU White Paper on Youth. Members of the forum are currently working with government on three policy areas: crime, education and community cohesion.

"The best thing I've done with the forum was going to Valencia for a weekend on a consultation on the European White Paper for Youth. It involved flying to Spain, reading through the White Paper and giving our views on it.

"Five things came out of it – two of them were education and information. Since then I believe that young people have gone over to Geneva to attend a conference on information.

"The forum shows that the Government is interested in taking young people's views forward. Like they say, young people are the future of the country."

Gareth Albert, 18, CYPU Advisory Forum member

"Everyone on the forum is friendly and everyone respects people when they're speaking. You feel comfortable and you can give your opinion freely.

"I'd like to see more on health issues because I'm part of a health council. So far, we've focused on the core principles, the strategy document and the European White Paper. This involved giving my opinion on what issues relate to young people.

"The main thing is being honest and trying to have an opinion which is not just my own, but which is brought forward from the local level. I think our contribution to government is being taken into account, but that's up to us as well to make sure our opinion is listened to.

"The forum could improve by reaching a more diverse group of young people, because 25 members can't really represent the whole country. It basically just needs more representation."

Ashley Ryder, 16, CYPU Advisory Forum member