Students from North Birmingham Academy and Greenwood Academy recently gathered as part of the Community Voice initiative to deliver presentations highlighting the issues young people face in Erdington – and what needs to be done to rectify them.

The presentations provided an insightful look into the housing, health, employment and environmental issues affecting young people while emphasising the importance of youth-led solutions.

Funded by the Shared Prosperity Fund, Community Voice is a community-led initiative designed to give Erdington residents a platform from which they can create and influence positive change in the constituency.

Community Engagement Coordinator, Steve Sharma, oversees the project.

“It is an opportunity for people to be heard, across a variety of themes including housing, employment, health, and the environment,” he said.

“Community Voice brings Erdington residents together to highlight the challenges within their community, connect with like-minded residents, and work collaboratively towards solutions that can make a meaningful difference.

“It aims to empower residents of all ages, ethnicities and backgrounds and give them a say in how services throughout the constituency are structured and delivered.”

Over the past few months, Community Voice has been working closely with neighbouring schools and young people to engage and encourage them to get involved in these important conversations. The aim is to give local youth a platform to have their say on the services that impact their daily lives and be a part of the positive change they want to see within their community.

Jess Fisher, Communications & Marketing Assistant at WLCA attended one of the presentations and said, “It was amazing to see the passion young people have regarding the change they want within their communities. As a young person myself, giving Erdington’s youth a voice and inviting us to be part of the conversation is crucial to the successful growth of our communities.

These young minds bring fresh, unfiltered perspectives,, and a commitment to driving tangible change that can reshape our community!”

If you would like to get involved in Community Voice and ensure your voice is heard, email steve.sharma@wittonlodge.org.uk or call us on 0121 382 1930.

Read more about Community Voice HERE

Take a look at some images from the presentations below.