Pupils from schools across the Royal Borough of Greenwich came together at The Valley on Wednesday 8 July for the first Greenwich Student Voice Conference celebrating the ideas, experiences and ambitions of children from across the borough.
Hosted by the Greenwich Young People's Council (GYPC) in partnership with the Greenwich Learning Partnership (GLP), the conference welcomed 48 Year 5 to Year 8 student representatives for a morning of inspiring talks, interactive workshops and collaborative discussions focused on giving children a stronger voice in shaping their schools and communities.
The event also aimed to strengthen connections between school councils and the GYPC while encouraging pupils to play an active role in influencing local priorities and decision-making.
Students took part in a keynote session from youth speaker Tia Shah, Learning Manager at the Migration Museum, who used interactive activities to encourage attendees to embrace their identity, find confidence in their voice and recognise the value of their experiences.
Throughout the morning, 11 GYPC members led a series of interactive workshops where pupils explored issues affecting children and young people. They worked together to develop practical action plans they can take back to their school communities.
The discussions focused on priorities within Greenwich's Children and Young People's Plan and the Greenwich Young People's Council manifesto.
Councillor Sandra Bauer, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Post-16 Futures, said:
"The Greenwich Student Voice Conference showed exactly what can happen when we give our youngest residents the opportunity to share their ideas and, most importantly, when we listen. Our children and young people are experts in their own experiences, and their ideas will help shape the future of services, schools and communities across Greenwich. We’re committed to making sure that their voices continue to influence the decisions that affect them."
Members of the Greenwich Young People's Council also reflected on the importance of bringing together pupils from different schools to share ideas, build confidence and inspire future youth leaders.
GYPC member Inaya said: "'The youth voice conference was a fun experience for everyone involved. It was a great opportunity for us as GYPC to get our faces and priorities into the community, and every child in attendance was really engaged and enthusiastic!'"
The conference forms part of the council's ongoing commitment to strengthening youth participation, ensuring children and young people's voices are at the heart of decision-making, and building stronger links between schools and local democracy.
Following the success of the event, the council and its partners plan to make the Greenwich Student Voice Conference an annual opportunity for children to come together, share their experiences and help shape the future of the borough.
