The Isle of Wight Youth Council will welcome the Youth Trust Taskforce, led by Katie Durkin, to Newport County Hall next week.

Recognised as the ‘Youth Alliance,’ the event consists of various youth groups collaborating to discuss Island-wide affairs. 

The Youth Trust Taskforce are a group of volunteers aged 12-25 dedicated to causes that matter to young people, including mental health and wellbeing.

Similarly, the IW Youth Council is an apolitical institution with close connections with the IW Council, which works to ensure the consideration of youth voices across the Island. 

Benson Hardy, chair of the IW Youth Council, spoke about why he organised this event, which takes place on November 14.

He said: “Youth voice is exceptionally important. Problems we identify must be addressed, consulting us in the process, and providing us with a chance to recognise the difference we can make.”

Youth voice is the idea that young people have a voice in society, which allows them to bring about change and represent their values. Examples of youth voice include youth service, youth activism, youth-led media and youth leadership - all of which both organisations contain. 

Regarding youth-led media, the Youth Trust 2023 Census showed that 99 per cent of young people had some form of social media, highlighting the importance of their technological outreach.

Both organisations are well-versed in the social media realm as the Youth Trust is active on Instagram (@iowyouthtrust) and TikTok (@iwyouthtrust), whereas the IW Youth Council recently restarted their Instagram account (@iwyouthcouncil). 

Katie Durkin vocalised: “Using social media, especially WhatsApp and Instagram, is crucial for our work. It allows us to connect with young people, providing instant and private communication. Apart from this, Instagram allows us to share our organisation’s story through visual content, reaching a broad and diverse audience.”

Establishing six priorities from Island-youth, both the Youth Trust Taskforce and IW Youth Council wish to encourage associations, charities and local authorities to consider the impact of their decisions on future generations. 

For more information or if you are interested in introducing your organisation to the Youth Council, email the benson.h.iwyc@gmail.com or visit Isle of Wight Youth Council

If you are equally interested in joining the Youth Trust Taskforce or have any queries, email Katie Durkin at taskforce@iowyouthtrust.co.uk