North East youngsters lead the country

In May 2004, newly appointed Planning Aid North Regional Co-ordinator, Kevin Lillie, had a vision that young people could play more of a significant role in the future of local neighbourhoods through planning studies. When he engaged two teachers on a week’s industrial placement, through North Tyneside Education Business Partnership, this also laid the foundation of a very strong partnership with the Council.

Three years on this vision has certainly turned into reality with our regional planning aid service now taking a national lead in working with young people, through their “Planning Education for Young People” programme. Kevin Lillie explains “Planning Aid provides a support service to help communities to play a more constructive role in the planning system and young people were identified as one group that had very little or no involvement. The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act was encouraging local authorities to constructively engage with communities through the planning system and demonstrate their commitment through Statements of Community Involvement. I was aware that the Children’s Act was also encouraging local authorities to encourage young people to make a positive contribution through the Every Child Matters Agenda, and that there were many other new initiatives, such as Building Schools for the Future, Enterprise, Extended Schools and the planned new vocational diplomas, which could be supported. Working with young people on planning and regeneration studies is a great opportunity to get them positively thinking about planning as a career. Thanks to the tremendous efforts and support of our team, Planning Aid North can now offer a solution to ensure that a key group of society is at the heart of building stronger neighbourhoods, influence the wider community and potentially ease skill shortages in the future.”

Through their “Planning Education for Young People” programme, PAN is supporting the curriculum in areas, such as Art & Design, Citizenship, Design & Technology, Geography, History and ICT, as well as other core subjects. They have already developed 24 Schemes of Work for primary and secondary schools on an extensive range of planning studies. It is very important that all studies are relevant for schools and as such PAN cross reference all of their education resources to the Qualification and Curriculum Authority (QCA) Schemes and Units of Work. In addition, a similar number have been produced on planning and regeneration themes for PAN’s project work in County Durham, Newcastle and North Tyneside. PAN are also encouraging young people to make constructive contributions to local authorities on planning issues. There are great opportunities for young people to really become involved in the evolution of Local Development Frameworks, major conservation, development and regeneration schemes. PAN would be very happy to talk to any local authority interested in expanding its involvement of young people.

Over the last three years, nearly 18,000 young people have benefited from PAN’s educational support. The continuing enthusiasm of council officers is crucial. Keeping open the channels of communication can be of great importance to the future of neighbourhoods and the planning profession as a whole. Youngsters proved that they can make a valuable contribution to planning at one of PAN’s recent awareness conferences. More than 100 delegates joined local youngsters at Durham County Hall to witness the value of constructive participation. John Sturzaker, our Chairman, was in attendance at the Conference and experienced first hand the value of this work, “Working with youngsters should form an essential part of reaching out into the community”.

A CD Rom reviewing the conference has recently been launched by PAN and a DVD film on experience from the project in County Durham will follow shortly. Anyone requiring further information should contact Kevin Lillie, Tel: 0191 222 5776 or e-mail: kevin.lillie@planningaid.rtpi.org.uk.

Author:

Kay Lough

Publisher:

The Royal Town Planning Institute

Date:

02-Sep-07

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Sections:

Events, Awards & Networking

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