Improve our borough! By young people, for young people!
There are three ways you can do this:
1. Turn up to a Sutton Youth Summit - save the date for FREE PIZZA on Thursday 6th November 2025 3-6pm.
- Once a year drop in fun themed information youth fair to learn what's out there for young people: learn about charities and organisations out there designed to help young people.
- Share your views to make change.
- FREE PIZZA and fun meeting others - activities, games, performances, prizes!
Previous ones:
- Video of 2024 Sutton Youth Summit click here
- 2024 Sutton Youth Summit click here
- 2023 Sutton Youth Summit Click here
2. Join a Sutton Youth Board meeting
- Four times a year come together with other young people on a particular topic to share your views in a smaller workshop format
- Discuss key issues and find solutation with professionals - get your opinions heard by key decision makers like MPs, police, NHS, Councillors.
- Your ideas lead to change and real impact.
To join, please complete this parental permission form first.
Previous ones:
- March 2025: Mental health in schools
- December 2024: Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
- July 2024: Safety
- March 2024: Mental health
3. Apply to be a Young Commissioner.
If you are a young person of secondary school age (or up to 25 years old if you have additional needs or are a care leaver), living and studying in the London Borough of Sutton, who wants to make a difference and get involved with your community, join us! They meet every fortnight in central Sutton on Thursday evenings in term time and have bonus options to help in between and holidays too.
The Young Commissioners are a group of about thirty driven and diverse young people of secondary school age, from different backgrounds and different schools across the borough, who meet regularly to help positively shape services and influence decision making in Sutton for young people.
If you would like to apply to become a Young Commissioner, please complete this form and we will be in touch soon. We are particularly looking for more representation from young male voices and a broader selection of schools.
What do the Young Commissioners do? They...
- Represent the voice of Sutton's youth to improve Sutton for other young people.
- Influence key decision makers from various organisations such as the council, NHS professionals, the police, local charities, politicians and developers.
- Run campaigns such as their Celebrating Sutton's Diversity project here.
- Focus on improving safety, working with the police e.g. co-producing a police newsletter.
- Focus on improving mental health e.g. creating a Mental Health sign-posting document.
- Focus on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion e.g. their Youth Empowerment event at Throwley Yard with Sutton Women's Centre.
- Organise and help with events and activities in the community e.g. Easter Egg Fundraiser, Refugee Week picnic and Power of Women event.
- Improve the borough and encourage other young people to get involved e.g. Litter pick.with Hong Kong families.
- Win awards e.g. Jack Petchey achievement awards.
- And of course, eat plenty of snacks and have fun while they’re at it! e.g. their end of exam Escape Rooms.
Benefits of becoming a Young Commissioner
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All the above PLUS...
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Learn new skills especially leadership, public speaking, event organisation.
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Make new friends and work as part of a team with other young people from other schools across the borough of all backgrounds and ages.
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Directly improve your neighbourhood and your C.V.!
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Represent your friends and communities.
- Unique opportunities to network with key influencers and gain inside intel e.g. tours of new developments.
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D of E volunteering option when attending every session and bonus events.
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Regular support and contact from the Youth team.
- Be part of the Jack Petchey Awards scheme with a chance to be an award winner and influence how the prize money is spent!
In return we ask for Young Commissioners to be committed to attending regular fortnightly meetings (Thursdays after school), and in between get actively involved with creating and responding to polls, surveys, social media, website, planning and delivering events, generally positively contributing to this great unique group.
If you would like to find out more about becoming a Young Commissioner, please give us your details here and one of the team will be in touch soon. Any questions, you can email youngcommissioners@vcsutton.org.uk.
To hear more about the Young Commissioners' Adventures, follow their Instagram page and more stories here.