The government recently set up the Children and Young People's Unit to listen to young people's views on all aspects of their lives. Children's Express talked to children and teenagers consulted by the new department.
| It's important to get the views of children and young people because you get loads of ideas for the future. |
Julie Francis, 14, Cowgate
It is important to be heard and to know your rights. If young people are not heard, we are not going to get what we want. Without a strategy for children and young people, we will get bored and be hanging around the streets and stuff. Then we will get in trouble.
We need police for protection and professional people who are going to help give advice. I don't think the government has listened recently. It's very important because we are going to be the adults of the future. If people listen to us some more then everything would be better.
Lee Holden, 17, Walker
Young people and children don't get listened to enough so you need a government strategy to sort things out between them and the adults. They can improve services by taking notes from children and young people because they are the ones who run things. For a start they should treat young people with a lot more respect than they do.
What we need are better services in schools, health and well-being and a better National Health Service. I think that by improving services in schools for teachers it could help young people more in exams. There are lots of people who are responsible for children - youth workers can be responsible, the government can be responsible - anybody really. Young people are not treated as equally as they should be.
Hayley Williams, 13, Cowgate
I don't think the government really listens but I think they would if they sat down with young people and got us more involved because we are the future. It's not just about listening - we need people to co-operate with us. You need things to keep young people occupied. I think it quite important because the more young people are on the streets, the more trouble there's going to be. I don't think everyone is treated equally. We need people who will listen more to children and I think that everyone is responsible in a way. We all need to co-operate.
Georgia Gaylor, 12, Cowgate
We need a strategy for children and young people because we get bored easily and there is nothing to do. I think an important service would be to have more and cheaper bus journeys, things like that, because it's disgusting how much you pay. I don't think that the government has ever listened to young people. Nothing is ever done about it.
We need to have better teachers teaching, because at the moment they don't really care about us. They need to listen more. They don't care about teaching, just about how much money they are getting. If I could change anything for children and young people, I would have more entertainment and games.
Daniel Devereux, 13, Cowgate
Getting our opinions heard in government is an important service for young people because they always ask adults for their views, and young people never get their say. If I could change anything for children and young people, it would be more things to do in my area. Some services could be improved by making bus fares cheaper for young people also, and in education children should have more respect from teachers. I think having my voice heard would make a difference.
Andrew Bates, 15, Wallsend
A government strategy is important for young people so we can enjoy life better. The kind of service children need would be help from other adults. Sometimes the government listen to young people, but when they are making big decisions they don't. It's easy to make kids feel like they are being left out. Young people feel better when they have been listened to.
Family is important to me, also activities to do after school. If I could change things, it would be the way adults treat us because they don't give young people respect. I think my voice would make a difference if someone listened. We need more mentors and people who can give you advice
Michael Holland, 11, Blakelaw
I think we need a government strategy because there are not enough services and young people need more people to listen to them. We also need help in the area we live for health reasons and better education. I do think that the government listens to young people, because when we ask for something they go out and do it.
It's important to get the views of children and young people because you get loads of ideas for the future, like more parks and indoor play areas. They could ask young people more questions about your views of the area they live, like advertising to people to get a group together to ask their views about things. I think that the government has done a good job, although I would change more help being available through education.
I don't think that as young people we need more support from adult professionals, because some adults are not very good at giving advice to people because some adults have nothing to say. The government will listen because they understand young people more. I think the government is getting younger.
About the team
This story was produced by Kirsten Caine, 12. Junior jury is a weekly column published in the Newcastle Evening Chronicle.
