“TAKE over Day” has been hailed as a huge success in Warrington, after 25 youngsters stepped into the shoes of people working in a variety of roles across the town.
Five shadowed local councils, 12 took over top posts within the council, two worked with the army, five experienced a day in the life of a police officer, one shadowed the Mayor and eight took over running the Warrington Youth Café.
Two members of the Youth Parliament from Warrington also got involved and went to London where they debated issues which affect young people in the House of Commons.
Birchwood High School student Emma Russell shadowed the Mayor of Warrington, Cllr Steve Wright for the day.
The Mayor said: “I got involved in Takeover Day as it is important young people get the idea of how the council works and for them to appreciate that, although our jobs are time-consuming and difficult at times, they are also rewarding.”
Cllr Colin Froggatt, the borough council’s executive member for children and young people’s services, also had a young person take over his role for the day. He said: “It’s fantastic that so many young people and partner organisations got involved in this year’s Takeover Day and I hope they thoroughly enjoyed their day. It was great to have a young person with me and to let them get involved with decision-making.”
Some local high schools organised their own Takeover Day. For example Great Sankey High School allowed 20 pupils to take over the top positions at the school including head teacher and deputy head teacher.
Takeover Day is a national event, run by the Children’s Commissioner. It offers children and young people across the country the chance to work alongside adults and get involved in decision-making in a wide range of organisations. If you’d like to take part next year please contact the youth service on 01925 442874. Takeover Day is organised by Warrington Borough Council’s Youth Service.
Pictured: Emma Russell with the Mayor of Warrington, Cllr Steve Wright, in the Town Hall
Take over Day a huge success
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Gary Skentelbery
Experienced journalist for more than 40 years. Managing Director of magazine publishing group with three in-house titles and on-line daily newspaper for Warrington. Experienced writer, photographer, PR consultant and media expert having written for local, regional and national newspapers. Specialties: PR, media, social networking, photographer, networking, advertising, sales, media crisis management. Chair of Warrington Healthwatch Director Warrington Chamber of Commerce Patron Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Trustee Warrington Disability Partnership. Former Chairman of Warrington Town FC.
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A young person took over my role as a councillor for Poulton North last Friday.
I started off the day taking him on brief walkabout to show him where a number of issues in my ward had existed. I described the problems and then asked him to describe what solutions he would have come up with. He came up with some good ideas but he did say that it was a bit boring.
I had designed the day having been told that two local High School young people who would have known the area would therefore have related to the issues as they would have been relevant. This young man wasn’t familiar with the area so he naturally couldn’t relate in the same way.
However, when we moved to Padgate Library to show him how a surgery works we met up two of the local Stronger Together wardens. It was at this point that the day came alive for him because one of the wardens worked in his ward and was able to offer advice for a number of problems that he and his young friends have been facing. The warden told him that what had been happening was unacceptable and offered advice. It was this point that the young person realised his opportunity to do something about the problem and he began to realise just what a difference a councillor can make with the right connections. It was at this point that he turned to me and said that ‘the day has just got better’.
I was relieved to hear that as we were only 2 hours into the day.