It has certainly been a busy year for the Young Commissioners with the regular meetings and extra bonus activities such as the Easter Egg Fundraiser, Refugee Week picnic, Befrienders' summer party, and litter picks along with all the below and still fitting in school work and exams!
The Young Commissioners have been getting creative to help spread the message of kindness across the borough.
They have done this through helping paint Sutton’s largest mural with Team Imagineers, following their design workshop, to make our alleyways more welcoming and celebratory places to walk down.
Also, through poetry, raising awareness of the Celebrating Sutton’s Diversity project through writing and performing their own pieces at the Sutton Women’s Centre and Sound Lounge Power of Women event on White Ribbon Day.
Most recently, Toby, the latest Jack Petchey award winner kindly put the award money towards the Thoughtfulness Fund and Sutton Befrienders’ clients, along with Aratrika, another Young Commissioner. This involved taking specially chosen tailored gifts and creatively wrapping and decorating presents for local residents for Christmas and delivering to some, seeing the smiles on the recipients’ faces.
They have also been busy hearing updates on the vaping campaign, cost of living crisis and Voice and Influence of young people support; along with visiting the new London Cancer Hub site to see how the last workshop insights have helped shape latest plans. This was a particular popular trip, with one Young Commissioner saying:
“It was great to see that some of our ideas from the first meeting in summer are being implemented, and that Sutton is going to be an area of research that can be life changing in the future.”
We also had Young Commissioners sharing young people’s thoughts at the Council’s Corporate Peer Review at the Civic Centre. Everyone has been able to speak directly with key decision makers such as the Leader of the Council, Cllr Barry Lewis, Deputy Leader of the Council, Cllr Sam Martin, Jonathan Williams - Director of Children’s Services, London Assembly Member Elly Baker, Cllr Jake Short, and others to help get young people’s voices heard.
We are grateful to all our partners, visitors and collaborators this year, and of course the incredible Young Commissioners who volunteer their time to make a difference to our borough.
If you are interested in joining a Youth Board meeting or becoming a more committed regular Young Commissioner, please go to this page to read more and contact us for any questions.
You can keep up to date with their activities through their Instagram page.
