Latest news in Yorkshire: November 18, 2017 09:29:34 AM
Members of Rotherham’s Youth Cabinet are urging other youngsters to be confident with their body image as part of a raft of measures they want to focus on in the year ahead.
The issue forms part of their Youth Cabinet manifesto, which they are launching at the Town Hall tonight at 5.00 pm.
They are planning to work with Rotherham partners, including health and Council leaders, to launch a conference for young people on this issue and also create a film to help educate people around body image.
“Body image is a huge issue for our generation, especially with the rise of social media,” said Toni Paxford, aged 18, from the Youth Cabinet. “Friends of mine have told me they have skipped meals or avoided going out with family and friends because they say they feel fat, which is just heart-breaking.
“We need young people to feel proud of whom they are, whatever shape, size or colour they are. They need to not feel judged by this, or by what they wear, by others. We are all born equal and people need to remember this as they grow up which is why we want to draw attention to this subject and help people feel better about themselves. That is why we feel it is important that we raise awareness of this issue.”
Other items the Youth Cabinet will be looking at in the year ahead include increasing opportunities for young people to take part in positive work experience, by highlighting where they can find good work experience and volunteering opportunities. They also want to increase opportunities for mental health first aid training which will help raise awareness of mental health, enabling people to support themselves and others to aid recovery.
They will continue to work with bus and transport companies and partnerships to address issues raised by young people in Rotherham and will support further roll out of the Child Friendly Borough initiative. Key to this initiative is making sure all young people feel their voices are heard and listened to.
Through the Child Friendly initiative the group aim to give a voice to the town’s young people and help them shape their community.
Cllr Gordon Watson, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Children and Young People’s services at Rotherham Council added: “It is great to see young people taking such a lead on these really important issues. The Youth Cabinet have done some great work over the last few years and reading their manifesto it is clear they want to continue to do even more great work in the year to come. I wish them every success for the year ahead.”
The Youth Cabinet will unveil its 2017/18 manifesto at the Town Hall to a gathering of guests.
Members of the Youth Cabinet are also celebrating after their youth worker Sarah Bellamy, who provides support for the group from the Council, won Youth Voice Worker of the Year at the last week’s British Youth Council national awards.
The group is also out to recruit new members and encourage more young people to have a say through the Your Voice initiative. For more information:
- Chloe’s pride at representing Team GBR
- MEDITATION RELAXING IN WATH
- Information sought after man seriously injured in Thurnscoe
- West Melton in South Yorkshire
- Officers warn about bogus officials
- Stonehenge was ‘hub for Britain’s earliest mass parties’
- The Manvers Wath-upon-Dearne
- Taxi driver found guilty of rape
- Flu vaccinations available in Rotherham
- Second referendum facts
- Cot bed designer jailed over York baby choke death failure
- UK’s first Tram Train to welcome passengers this month
- Blue badge abuse prosecution
- Call blocking scheme for people with dementia
- Barnsley on Film
- Bonfire night Arsonists’ attack the Dearne
- Former Rotherham United striker jailed for 15 years
- What are the symptoms of coronavirus?
- Henry Boot Construction wins prestigious national award for work on Barnsley Market
- Two jailed for Barnsley burglaries
- Police will clamp down on knife carriers
- NarThenSithi – Send Your Broad Yorkshire Message To The World
- Shisha users targeted in health campaign
- Teenager seriously injured following Barnsley collision
- Toddler and boy, 4, hurt in Barnsley three-vehicle crash
- Fwd: Officer dragged by car in Conisbrough – did you see anything?
- Council rolls out more safety measures for schools
- Help for victims of grooming and sexual exploitation
- IT course at Wath-upon-Dearne
- Barnsley sexual assault – e-fit released
- Man jailed for vehicle crime in Handsworth
- Special contribution to force Covid response
- College helps to transform lives across South Yorkshire
- UPDATE: Yellow warning for Yorkshire & Humber
- Wath-upon-Dearne village centre 1900
- Keep yourself safe against fraud with these top tips from SY Police
- Rotherham Oktoberfest at Clifton Park
- Rocking with history at Clifton Park Museum
- NHS Trust looks to Doncaster school for future staff
- CCTV released following city centre assault