Children take over top jobs at Telford & Wrekin Council for the day
Over twenty children and young people will today be taking over Telford & Wrekin Council.
The activities are being organised as part of Children’s Commissioner’s Takeover Day 2012, a national event led by the Children’s Commissioner for England which gives children and young people the chance to shadow jobs, get involved in decision-making and offer their opinions on key issues.
Young people will spend the day shadowing top council bosses and councillors. Some young people will be taking over Assistant Directors jobs to help make decisions, others will be tasked with working on special projects such as Telford & Wrekin’s £200m Building Schools for the Future programme.
Councillor Paul Watling, cabinet member for Children, Young People and Families, said: “Telford & Wrekin Council is fully supporting this year’s National Take Over day.
“Last year’s event was a huge success for us with over 15 young people getting to grips with how the council works and playing an active role in decision making.
“This year many more staff have come forward excited to get involved and more young people are going to be spending a day in the shoes of some of our most senior council officers.
“I am sure that these young people will bring some fresh ideas to the table and enjoy their visit.”
Maggie Atkinson, Children’s Commissioner for England, said: “I am very excited about 2012’s Children’s Commissioner’s Takeover Day and I look forward to hearing about what people are doing.
“I especially want those children who do not normally have their voices heard by adults in charge to be involved. The day provides a brilliant opportunity for children and young people to make a difference to their schools and communities, put their views across and challenge the stereotypes about them that we hear too often.
“Children and young people have so much to offer. They bring ideas, imagination and energy which can really make a difference to organisations.
“I am urging everybody to be brave enough to get children and young people into decision making. More importantly, try to make the day part of ongoing, not one-day-only, involvement of young citizens in your work.”
This year the Children’s Commissioner for England hopes 50,000 children and young people around the country will be part of Children’s Commissioner’s Takeover Day. Numerous organisations have already signed up.
In 2011 thousands of children and young people worked with organisations including businesses, schools, police and fire services, newspapers, broadcasters, local councils, MPs, dozens of museums, charities and Government departments. Everyone got involved from the BBC to the Metro newspaper, Royal British Legion and even the Deputy Prime Minister!
