After months of anticipation, the Andover Youth Assembly took place in July 2022. 
The Assembly brought together nearly 20 young people from across Andover to explore the following question:

What it is like to be a young person in Andover and what could be done to improve the quality of life for young people in Andover?

 

The young people attended 3 x 3 hour sessions throughout July. They heard from a range of experts from across the town, including representatives from Andover Mind, Hemingway Design, the NHS, Police, Test Valley Borough Council, Unity, Yellow Brick Road, and  the Youth Employment Hub. 

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Working together, the young people discussed the topics covered by the experts. They were given the opportunity to ask the experts questions, and had in-depth discussions around what they had heard. In their final session, they prioritised the key points that had been raised for each theme before voting on what they considered to be their top priority. 

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With their top priorities decided, the young people formulated some key statements, explaining the reasons behind their priorities and expressing any recommendations. These statements were then presented to Andover Vision Chair, Cllr Phil North, and Unity's Youth Ambassador Dmitrijs Meiksans. 

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All in all, the Andover Youth Assembly was a great success. It was so great to hear the young people's voices and to see their enthusiasm for improving Andover. 

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The AYA Team