Manchester is a city of activism and demonstration. From Peterloo to the suffragettes, our residents have used their voices to create change and make the world a better place. Today it is our young people who lead the way and use their voices to demand change, whether its on climate emergency or making the city fairer and more equitable for all its residents.
Between June and November 2021 children and young people’s voices across Manchester were captured through engagement activity.
6 key themes emerged in their aspirations for Manchester which are helping to shape activity for 2022 Our Year:
Safe & secure – every child and young person lives in a safe, secure and clean environment.
Play – every child and young person has opportunities to enjoy family life, play and leisure.
Health & wellbeing – every child and young person has access to quality essential services.
Equal & included – every child and young person is valued, respected and treated fairly.
Connected – every child to feel connected to family and friends with access to affordable and accessible transport across the city
‘Our Future’/Climate Change – every child has access to education and opportunities for environmental sustainability. A cleaner, greener city was cited amongst many responses
What’s important to young people?
“A safe space which is made for us, where we can spend time with other young people”
“Friends, family, community”
“Wildlife, outdoor places to play and cleaner air”
“More free things I can go to in the holidays”
“I want a job that I’ll enjoy”
“A cleaner city, less cars on the road, people to eat less meat”
“That Manchester stops using so much plastic and carbon”
“I want it to be safer for kids walking in the morning”
“To be healthy”
“That people are a bit nicer to everyone and that everyone has fair chance”
National Youth Parliament Acceptance Speeches
Watch the acceptance speeches from Manchester’s three newly elected members of the national Youth Parliament – Lois Adela, Virginia Collins and Daanya Isa, who will meet with young leaders from across the UK to champion youth issues and represent our city’s young voices.
Illustrations from children and young people representing what is important to them:
