Sunderland Echo

We want young people to be at the heart of our charity

- By Darren Worth, Childline senior supervisor, North of England

Young people are at the heart of everything we do. Whether we’re supporting them over the phone, email or messaging through Childline, providing education through campaigns and in schools, or helping the Government improve laws and keeping them safer online, the NSPCC is here for children.

Listening to children is what we do best, and we believe that with their input, we can do even more to ensure young people across the country are better protected and represente­d in conversati­ons about issues that affect them.

That’s why we are looking for young people, aged between 13 and 16, to join the new NSPCC Young People’s Board for Change - and we need your help to reach them.

The Young People’s Board for Change will help steer, advise and influence how the NSPCC works, and we hope

Childline is calling on youngsters to help shape the future. it will be a big step towards engaging young people in helping to further guide the charity.

There’ll be regular online meetings, and free weekend residentia­ls, with activities and workshops where members learn important skills like campaignin­g and public speaking, and help determine topics for the NSPCC to develop. By recruiting a diverse group of young people from across the UK to meet regularly and share their views and thoughts on what matters most to them and their peers, we believe we will be able to better ensure we are working towards providing young people with an organisati­on that truly reflects every child in the country.

We want this project to be an opportunit­y for young people who might not normally get the chance to share their views like this. They don’t need experience of volunteeri­ng or taking part in similar groups, just a desire to change life for the better for themselves and young people like them.

If you know a teenager who you feel might be suited to joining the Young People’s Board for Change, who wants to improve the lives of children and young people, develop confidence and make real change happen, please spread the word.

There’s more informatio­n available at www.nspcc.org. uk/boardforch­ange and the applicatio­n process is open until January 11.

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