Youth Councils are 'forums' that represent the views of young people locally. It's by the young people for the young people. We give people a voice; we make sure your views are heard by the town council.
We make sure that young people can make a difference in our community! Not only do we empower people, we also put you in a better position to try to find your own solutions to the problems facing our area.
Chair - Term lasts a full academic year. The chair runs the meeting, makes sure it is in control and that all the items on the agenda are covered.
Vice Chair - Term also lasts an academic year. The vice-chair covers for the chair if he/she cannot make it to the meeting etc.
Treasurer - Elected once a year at the AGM. Signatory of the Youth Council bank account. Must read a yearly financial statement.
Social Secretary - In all our hard work, we need a rest. The social secretary organises these "social events" and allows us to rest, so that we can concentrate on the hard work of being youth councillors.
Technical Officer – Oversees the operation and editing of the SAYC website and provides technical support.
Press Officer – Ensures that SAYC gets optimum coverage in the press. Also takes a lead in marketing and promotions.
Music Liaison – Takes a lead in planning the Summer Sounds Youth Music event.
Membership Officer – ensures that SAYC are actively trying to promote their work to a new audience. Looks at ways to try and encourage new members to join.
The St. Albans Youth Council was established in 2002 after months of hard work by the steering group. Every secondary school, youth club and any other organisations are entitled to have up to three members on the Youth Council. Members can be aged from 11 to 19.
We have run various events that you may have heard of namely the Summer Sounds Youth music event. Our first gig was in Rothamsted Park in Harpenden and this year the event was held in Clarence Park in St Albans and was a huge success with over 1000 young people attending. Check out the photos.
We also delivered our pilot Mi-pod consultation event where we interviewed over 130 young people to get their views about important issues to them. We then produced the results into a digital format. We presented all the feedback to Councillors and hope that the views of local young people will now be part of the basis for future planned activities by the Distric Council for young people. We will be holding some more Mi-pod events in the coming months so check out Upcoming Events for details of times and places. We want to hear from you so you can have your say!!
If you want to get involved in organising these events with us, become a member! All you need to do is pester your school to run elections or contact us directly and be co-opted onto the Youth Council. You can e-mail us.
"Be Heard! Let us be your voice"
Hi, my name's Beth and I go to STAGS. I am in Year 12 and have been going to Youth Council since November 2010. I have really enjoyed the things I have taken part in so far, for example the Christmas Lights in town selling hot chocolate. I can't wait to take part in future events.
Hi, I'm Hugh. I've been a member of SAYC since March 2010 and was elected Chairman in September. So far I've been involved in the Summer Sounds music gig, talking to councillors about young people's issues, raising money for a local charity Youth Talk at the Christmas lights switch-on and researching issues surrounding young people's mental health in St Albans.
Hi, I'm James and I'm SAYC's Technical Officer. I do the administration for this website. I go to St Albans School and I'm in Year 13. I have been a member of SAYC since September 2006.
Hi, I'm Angela and I have been part of St Albans Youth Council for over two years. I have really enjoyed my time so far in the Youth Council, discussing issues that we believe affect young people in today's society. I have been to two Summer Sounds gigs and I have really enjoyed volunteering on the day and helping to organise it. I attended the turning on of the Christmas Lights 2010, where we sold hot chocolate and raised money for Youth Talk.
Hi, I'm Joe and I'm lucky enough to be elected as Treasurer of SAYC. I've been involved in lots of SAYC projects, including summer sounds 2009 and 2010, promoting via hot chocolate at the chirstmas light turn-on and I'm looking foward to all of our exciting projects coming up in 2011.
Hi, I’m Ellie from Sandringham school (year 10). I joined SAYC in October 2010, and have loved everything that I have done so far (e.g. selling hot chocolate at St.Albans Christmas lights festival was great fun and raised loads of money for youth talk). I really look forward to every thing thats coming up for the youth council in the new year!
Our Constitution - Our Structure - Our Rules
Our Constitution as amended November 2010
| 1. | Constitution |
| 1.1 | The Youth Council shall be known as St Albans Youth Council, hereinafter referred to as SAYC. |
| 1.2 | SAYC represents the young people of St Albans (as defined in 12.1). |
| 2. | Objects |
| 2.1 | SAYC aims to: |
| i. | be a proactive body representing and advocating the views of young people (see 12.2) to the appropriate authorities. |
| ii. | initiate, facilitate and manage projects for and on behalf of young people |
| iii. | act as an accurate and honest consultative body in order for local institutions to research youth trends |
| iv. | further the education of young people in St. Albans through running voluntary programs |
| v. | improve the man-made and natural environment for everyone in St. Albans |
| vi. | Improve and/or promote the well-being of young people in St. Albans |
| 3. | Powers |
| 3.1 | SAYC may: |
| i. | lobby the councils at Parish/Town/District and County levels |
| ii. | gather the views of its constituents and represent them to the relevant organisations |
| iii. | work in all areas of St. Albans & District, but will not deal with matters specific to Redbourn and Harpenden unless by agreement with the appropriate Youth Council for that area. |
| iv. | Do anything calculated to improve or promote the well-being of young people in St. Albans |
| v. | Use expenditure to cover the cost of necessary activities in order to achieve the aims of SAYC. |
| vi. | Do anything calculated to facilitate, be conducive to or incidental to the workings of SAYC |
| 4. | Membership |
| 4.1 | SAYC will consist of a maximum of 40 members including up to 25 co-opted members, and may include additional representatives from Harpenden and Redbourn Youth Councils. |
| 4.2 | A Youth Councillor must be between the ages of 11 and 19 inclusively at the time of joining and live or go to school within the St Albans City and District. Membership will last until his/her 20th birthday, extended to his/her 25th birthday in the case of youth councillors with special needs and/or learning difficulties. (See 12.3) |
| 4.3 | Councillors will be selected from within their constituencies. A constituency will comprise any definable group of young people based within the area boundaries of St. Albans City and District Council, e.g. schools, youth clubs, scout groups, guide groups, church youth groups, youth sports clubs etc. |
| 4.4 | A constituency of up to 50 people is entitled to select one representative, between 50 and 500 it is entitled to select two and over 500, three representatives. The exceptions to this rule are Harpenden and Redbourn Youth Councils, which may select up to three representatives each. |
| 4.5 | A Councillor must attend a minimum of seven full Youth Council meetings in any one year, running from AGM to AGM, or SAYC shall have the right to expel him/her decided by a majority vote held at a full Youth Council meeting. If a member is expelled, the appropriate constituency will be informed and may select a replacement if it so wishes. |
| 4.6 | A Youth Councillor may resign at any time by formal letter or email to the Chair. |
| 5. | General Business |
| 5.1 | The council will meet at least twice a month, although a meeting may be cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances or during the holidays if there is no activity. The date and time will be set and agreed by the youth council and fixed. |
| 5.2 | SAYC will elect officers by a secret ballot at the Annual General Meeting (AGM). |
| 5.3 | Working parties will be set up to conduct work on the issues voted for at full youth council meetings. A working party consists of a smaller number of councillors dedicated to a project; councillors may belong to multiple working parties. These groups may meet as often as they see fit, but must produce a report every full council meeting to be discussed in the council. |
| 5.4 | Constituents represented by youth councillors and invited members of the public may attend any full meeting of SAYC but are not permitted to speak unless invited to do so by the Chair. |
| 6. | Voting |
| 6.1 | For any decision to be taken at Full Youth Council there must be one third of the total membership present. |
| 6.2 | For minor decisions a show of hands will be sufficient and will be counted by the Vice-Chair. |
| 6.3 | For major decisions and the election of officers, a secret ballot will take place. This will be counted by an adult support worker |
| 6.4 | The presiding Chair may vote on any matter and in the case of an equality of votes may cast a further deciding vote. |
| 6.5 | Working parties will be responsible for their own decision-making processes. |
| 6.6 | If a member fails to attend a meeting, he/she will forfeit his/her right to vote on any decision undertaken at that meeting. |
| 7. | Payments |
| 7.1 | SAYC will reimburse councillors for "reasonable" expenses caused by the workings of SAYC from their council budget. |
| 7.2 | Payments over £x should be made by cheque, or be paid through local authorities, with petty cash available for smaller items. Receipts must be produced for payments made in cash. |
| 7.3 | Cheques must be signed by the Youth Council Support Officer and the Treasurer to be valid, until further signatories are added to the bank account, after which cheques must be signed by the Youth Council Support Officer and one of the following – Treasurer, Chair and Vice-Chair. |
| 7.4 | Persons working for SAYC will be paid at a pre-arranged rate; this rate can only be changed if at the discretion of the SAYC. |
| 8. | Duties |
| 8.1 | No Officer will hold the same post for longer than 2 years consecutively, unless there are no other candidates for the post. |
| 8.2 | The following officers shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting (AGM – see section 9):
|
| i | Chairperson (Chair) – will receive items for the agenda and set the agenda prior to each meeting (in accordance with support workers). He/she will ensure the agenda is followed in the meeting. |
| ii | Vice Chair - elected every year. To support the Chair in all their duties and to stand in when the Chair is absent. To count all votes, including secret ballots, assisted by the Youth Support Officer/Youth Worker when appropriate. |
| iii | Treasurer – will be responsible to SAYC and to St Albans City and District Council (finance department) for the keeping of the accounts for SAYC and to present, on a quarterly basis, a report to the full Youth Council. |
| 8.3 | Optional Officers to be elected if a need is identified and/or a request is made |
| i
ii iii vi vii |
Secretary – will be responsible for producing minutes and the agenda, in accordance with the Chair and an adult support officer.
Social Secretary – will be responsible for arranging social events for the councillors, including with other youth councils Music Liaison Officer – will be responsible for the development of live music and recording opportunities for young people within St Albans. Technical Officer – will oversee the operation and editing of the SAYC website and provide technical support. PR Officer – will oversee relations with the public and the media. |
| 9. | Annual General Meeting |
| 9.1 | There shall be an Annual General Meeting of the Council held in October each year, or within one month either side. |
| 9.2 | Business to be conducted at the AGM shall be the following list of minimum items, in the order defined: |
| i. | To receive apologies for absence |
| ii. | To receive a report of the previous year from the outgoing Chair in partnership with the adult Support Worker. |
| iii | To receive the Treasurer's report and audited accounts for the previous year to 31st March |
| iv | To elect officers; Chair, Vice Chair and Treasurer for the forthcoming twelve months to be followed by election of Optional officers: Secretary, Social Secretary, Music Liaison Officer, Technical Officer and Public Relations Officer |
| v | Invite other members to report on projects and events. |
| vi | To deal with matters arising from the previous month’s Minutes not covered in the agenda |
| vii | To continue with Agenda for Annual General Meeting |
| viii | Suspend standing orders |
| 10. | Alterations to the Constitution |
| 10.1 | The Constitution may be changed every 6 months: one month’s notice must be given to any proposed changes and agreed at a full youth council meeting. |
| 10.2 | Any changes to the Constitution must be approved by a majority of the total membership of the youth Council. |
| 11. | Dissolution |
| 11.1 | No members are entitled to a pay-off of any kind. |
| 11.2 | A copy of all records will be handed to the adult Support Worker/s in order to be filed for future reference. |
| 11.3 | All money remaining in the account will be transferred back to St. Albans City and District Council, or to a charity chosen by SAYC. |
| 12 | Glossary of Terms |
| 12.1 | St. Albans – St. Albans shall be defined as the City and District of St. Albans and delineated by the boundaries of St. Albans City and District Council. |
| 12.2 | Young person – A young person is any person aged between 11 and 19 inclusively, or 11 and 25 inclusively if the young person has learning difficulties and/or disabilities. |
| 12.3 | Learning difficulties – as defined in the learning and Skills Act 2000 Section 13 (%) (a) |