Young people urged to 'have their own voice'

Laura Peach and Rosana Cox are working with the St Ives Town Deal projects to ensure young people benefit from the programme

Young people in a coastal town are being encouraged to share their views and help shape the future of where they live.

In June, members of the St Ives Town Deal board and St Ives Town Council recruited two youth engagement project officers to work with people aged between 11 and 25.

Laura Peach and Rosana Cox will listen to young people and aim to make sure projects and funding opportunities in the town benefit them.

Ms Peach said: “We know that young people often feel that no-one is listening to them and they are just on the side lines. We want young people in St Ives to feel that they are part of our town."

During the past few weeks, the women have visited the local secondary school and spoken to town councillors.

The duo, who are based within the town council, will be linking up with nine other town deal projects and working across wider parish youth initiatives.

They will also be working with charities such as Kidz R Us, businesses, including Leach Pottery, and local housing projects.

“Our aim is to make all these projects more relevant and accessible for young people and ensure that they are delivering outcomes which will benefit them in the future," Ms Cox added.

"We want to make sure that we're using our time to create things that they're actually going to be interested in engaging with."

But she said their "first task" is to ask young people what it is that they would like them to do.