Our youth voice pledges

As part of our work, we have been collaborating with young people, our partners network and FORGE to create a set of Youth Pledges which we will adhere to, and support our partners and collaborators across the region to uphold.

FORGE is North Yorkshire’s Local Cultural Education Partnership, also known as an LCEP.

LCEPs support children and young people to fulfil their creative potential and access high-quality cultural experiences where they live, where they go to school, and where they spend their free time.

Youth Voice Pledges

We are committed to Inclusion, Diversity, Equality and Advocacy. AMP has collaborated with the FORGE network to create these pledges or ‘promises’ with young people and offers them for everybody to use in whichever way is helpful. This might mean you want to change the language, or to create a debate, to make a song, or to write your own pledges.

S.E.A.R.C.H.

1. Seek Out Voices
   We will find ways to make it easier for all children and young people to share their thoughts and ideas and will particularly look for and listen to the voices of children and young people who aren’t often heard.
2. Environments
   We will work alongside children and young people to create places and spaces which are welcoming, respectful and positive.
3. Advocate and Amplify
   We will work alongside children and young people to amplify and advocate for the changes they want. We will work for better creative opportunities to be made available with, by and for children and young people.
4. Reflect and Respond
   We will always listen to children and young people – including when what we hear challenges us. We will reflect, respond, and change. We will hold ourselves to account and measure our progress, sharing our learning with children and young people, colleagues, and funders.
5. Challenging Prejudice
   We will celebrate that diversity makes us stronger. We will strive for young people of all different experiences, backgrounds, nationalities, and identities to be treated fairly.
6. Honesty
   We will be realistic, open, and honest with children and young people, with ourselves and the partners we work with. Sometimes this will mean recognising where we fall short and being open about this.

When we say Environments, we mean The places and spaces we meet/work in
When we say Amplify, we mean To make bigger or louder
When we say Advocate, we mean To support, often publicly, the sharing or presenting of children and young people’s points of view
When we say Pledge, we mean A promise or commitment

Start a conversation with Forge – they would love to hear how you’ve used these pledges!