British Youth Council - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

British Youth Council (BYC)
Logo:
Established:	1948
Trustees:	Liam Preston (Chair) Dara Farrell (Vice Chair) Rosina St James (Vice Chair) Thomas Turrell (Treasurer) Josh Snape Ben Mallon Chris Neal Ian Adderley Marc Kidson Francesa Damole Zain Awan Dan Derricott Sam Hale
Chief Executive:	James Cathcart
Address:	British Youth Council CAN Mezzanine 49-51 East Road London N1 6AH UK
Fax:	0845 458 1847
Website:	www.byc.org.uk
International affiliation:	European Youth Forum European Youth Forum The European Youth Forum is the platform of the national youth councils and international non-governmental youth organisations in Europe... Commonwealth Youth Programme Commonwealth Youth Programme The Commonwealth Youth Programme, also known as CYP, is an international development agency working with young people between the ages of 15 and 29. Part of the Commonwealth Secretariat, CYP is active in the Commonwealth's 54 member countries...
UK Youth Parliament UK Youth Parliament The UK Youth Parliament is a youth organisation in the United Kingdom, consisting of democratically elected members aged between 11 and 18.... , Young Mayors Network & Local Youth Council Network

The British Youth Council (BYC) is a UK charity working to empower young people to have a say and be heard. Run by young people for young people, BYC exists to represent the views of young people to government and decision-makers at a local, national, European and international level; and to promote the increased participation of young people in society and public life.

Beginnings

The British Youth Council was established by the Foreign Office

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, commonly called the Foreign Office or the FCO is a British government department responsible for promoting the interests of the United Kingdom overseas, created in 1968 by merging the Foreign Office and the Commonwealth Office.The head of the FCO is the...

of the British Government in preparation for the first World Assembly of Youth. Its original aim was to unite young people in Britain against the forces of communism amid tense international relations just after World War 2.

The Sixties

In 1963, BYC gained independence from the British Government and became a UK charity championing the opinions of young people.

From the late 1960s, BYC expanded its work in connecting youth councils across the UK – a move championed by then staff member John Denham, former Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.

The Seventies

In 1971, BYC organised the annual World Assembly of Youth event in Manchester where Prime Minister Edward Heath

Edward Heath

Sir Edward Richard George "Ted" Heath, KG, MBE, PC was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and as Leader of the Conservative Party ....

was the keynote speaker.

In the late 1970s, BYC elected David Hunt as chair (now member of the House of Lords) as well as Janet Paraskeva

Janet Paraskeva

The Rt Hon. Dame Janet Paraskeva DBE is a British government official.She was appointed as the First Civil Service Commissioner on 1 January 2006. On 15 November 2007 Paraskeva was announced by Peter Hain, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, as first Chair of the Child Maintenance and...

(now First Civil Service Commissioner) and Peter Mandelson

Peter Mandelson

Peter Benjamin Mandelson, Baron Mandelson, PC is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Hartlepool from 1992 to 2004, served in a number of Cabinet positions under both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, and was a European Commissioner...

.

As its reputation grew, BYC published the influential "Youth Unemployment: Cause and Cures" report, taking it to Prime Minister Jim Callaghan

James Callaghan

Leonard James Callaghan, Baron Callaghan of Cardiff, KG, PC , was a British Labour politician, who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1976 to 1979 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1976 to 1980...

in Downing Street to discuss the issue of youth unemployment. They also attended the controversial 11th World Festival on Youth in Cuba where motions were passed on the human rights records of the USSR and USA. Delegates include Trevor Phillips

Trevor Phillips

Trevor Phillips OBE chairs the Equality and Human Rights Commission and is a former television executive and presenter...

, Paul Boateng

Paul Boateng

Paul Yaw Boateng, Baron Boateng is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Brent South from 1987 to 2005, becoming the UK's first black Cabinet Minister in May 2002, when he was appointed as Chief Secretary to the Treasury...

and Charles Clarke MP

Charles Clarke

Charles Rodway Clarke is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Norwich South from 1997 until 2010, and served as Home Secretary from December 2004 until May 2006.-Early life:...

The Eighties

The 1980s saw BYC hit increasingly difficult times. In 1987 BYC Scotland closed due to funding cuts by the Government at the time. In this period BYC also had its founding Foreign Office grant withdrawn due to the changes in international relations. However, the BYC carried on and continued to do outstanding work continuing to promote local youth councils and was involved in the UK's signing of the historic UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

Convention on the Rights of the Child

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child is a human rights treaty setting out the civil, political, economic, social, health and cultural rights of children...

The Nineties

In the 1990s BYC worked with partners to start up and run campaigns to get young people registered to vote and on issues of young people's employment. BYC also led the field in youth policy and research, producing a number of influential journals and publications.

Notable publications during this decade include ‘Never Had it So Good: The Truth about being young in nineties Britain’ (1996), and the 1998 report ‘State of the Young Nation’, which asked 1000 young people about their participation in society and their understanding of political processes.

Continuing increase in BYC’s research, consultation and policy work culminated in 2000 with the biggest consultation with young people that the Government had ever commissioned on areas such as education, employment and young people having their say. The conclusion, 'Listening to the Unheard', led the formulation of the European White Paper on Youth which BYC co-ordinated as the UK members of the European Youth Forum

European Youth Forum

The European Youth Forum is the platform of the national youth councils and international non-governmental youth organisations in Europe...

Today

Today BYC continues to build on its past. The organisation celebrated its 60th birthday in 2008 by engaging ten young people to make a documentary film about British youth culture over the last 60 years; in particular, how young people have been able to have an impact on society and democracy.

Mission

According to its Annual Review 2008/09: “The BYC is led by young people, for young people aged 25 and under across the UK. We connect with our community of member organisations and network of Local Youth Councils to empower all young people, wherever they’re from, to have a say and be heard. Our take on training and volunteering and our powerful campaigns, both local and global, inspire young people to have a positive impact and make their voices count”

Vision

BYC’s vision is that all young people are respected, and able to influence and inform decisions which affect their lives or upon which they have strong opinions.

Governance

BYC is led by young people for young people. Its Board of Trustees is made up of 12 young people aged 16–25. These annually-elected trustees employ 14 staff and 10 full-time volunteers, and manage a body of young campaigners and media spokespeople.

BYC is a registered charity, and recently registered as a company limited by guarantee, in order to enable the appointment of directors under 18 years old.

Membership

BYC has 118 members including national youth organisations, faith-based groups, and organisations representing minority groups of young people. In addition, BYC supports a network of 620 youth councils and youth forums, also run by young people. More information is available at its membership page

Programmes

BYC is about the voice of young people - representing themselves through activities such as Young People in Parliament Events, having their voices heard by politicians and policy makers.

It sets up initiatives that celebrate young people's achievements such as the Royal Society of Arts Young Leader Awards.

Volunteering opportunities

BYC supports young people to find volunteering opportunities and other opportunities for young people through its website, its membership base and through newsletters like the BYC Project and its Online Action Network.

Partners

A full list of BYC’s partners is available here.

Youth-Led Networks

Local Youth Council Network, UK Youth Parliament

UK Youth Parliament

The UK Youth Parliament is a youth organisation in the United Kingdom, consisting of democratically elected members aged between 11 and 18....

& Young Mayors Network

Consortia

BYC is part of the Look Listen Change consortium, hosted by the National Children's Bureau

National Children's Bureau

The National Children's Bureau is a children's charity based in Islington, London. It was founded in 1963 The National Children's Bureau (NCB) is a children's charity based in Islington, London. It was founded in 1963 The National Children's Bureau (NCB) is a children's charity based in Islington,...

and including KIDS

Kids (charity)

Kids is a UK-based charity which provides a wide range of services for disabled children, young people and their families. The Kids ethos is to work in partnership with parents and carers to enable disabled chidren and young people to develop their skills and abilities and to fulfill their...

, the National Centre for Excellence in Residential Child Care (NCERCC) and the Council for Disabled Children (CDC).The consortium works with local authorities across England to give disadvantaged and marginalised young people greater influence over services in their areas through the Youth4U – Young Inspectors programme.

The Youth of Today is a consortium designed to increase the quality, quantity and diversity of opportunities for young people as leaders of change in their communities. They are: The National Youth Agency (NYA), Changemakers, the Young Foundation

Young Foundation

The Young Foundation was launched in the spring of 2006 following the merger of the Institute of Community Studies and the Mutual Aid Centre. It is named after Michael Young, the British sociologist and social activist who created over 60 organisations including the Open University, Which? and...

, the UK Youth Parliament

UK Youth Parliament

The UK Youth Parliament is a youth organisation in the United Kingdom, consisting of democratically elected members aged between 11 and 18....

, the British Youth Council, The Prince's Trust

The Prince's Trust

The Prince's Trust is a charity in the United Kingdom founded in 1976 by Charles, Prince of Wales to help young people. They run a range of training programmes, provide mentoring support and offer financial grants to build the confidence and motivation of disadvantaged young people...

and the Citizenship Foundation

Citizenship Foundation

The Citizenship Foundation is an independent UK charity which aims to empower individuals to engage in the wider community through education about the law, democracy and society...

.

Finally, the British Youth Council is involved with Participation Works – a group of national charities working to ensure that every child and young person can influence decisions affecting their lives. They are working with the Children's Rights Alliance for England

Children's Rights Alliance for England

Children's Rights Alliance For England is a London-based pressure group.CRAE was set up in 1991 after the UK ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in order to monitor the UK Government's commitment to upholding the document. They aim to protect the human rights of children in the...

, the National Children's Bureau

National Children's Bureau

, The National Youth Agency, the National Council for Voluntary Youth Services

National Council for Voluntary Youth Services

The National Council for Voluntary Youth Services is a membership network of around 170 voluntary and community organisations, as well as local and regional networks, who work with young people and operate in England...

and Save the Children

Save the Children

Save the Children is an internationally active non-governmental organization that enforces children's rights, provides relief and helps support children in developing countries...

(England).

Training

BYC provides a range of training courses intended to empower young people to make a difference. Many of these are funded under schemes like Youth at the Table.

International

Since it began, BYC has been involved in international work which aims to:

Develop awareness of international issues and action
Represent the UK at international events

External links

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