Latest update from our youth councils for young people with SEND

Visit from the Mayor of Broxbourne exploring Windrush history and civic leadership, to celebrate Black History Month
The young people welcomed the Mayor of Broxbourne, Patsy Spears, to speak about her personal experience of the Windrush generation and the significance of Black History Month. The session created a meaningful opportunity for young people to engage with lived history, deepening their understanding of Black British history and its ongoing impact on society.

Through open discussions, the youth council members were able to ask questions, reflect on issues of identity, representation, and equality, and gain insight into how historical events continue to shape local and national communities.

The conversation also explored the role and responsibilities of the Mayor of Broxbourne, helping young people to better understand local democracy, civic leadership, and how they can engage with decision makers.

Exploring access to public transport and creating an independent travel video guide for young people with SEND
The group discussed and explored ways to support other young people when travelling independently on public transport. Through group discussions, they shared personal experiences, identified common challenges such as safety, confidence, and route planning, and considered practical strategies to overcome these barriers. Young people worked collaboratively to develop the idea of creating a step-by-step video guide on how to travel independently and safely on public transport.

These activities developed their problem-solving skills and digital creativity, while reinforcing key messages around personal safety, independence and self-advocacy. The session helped build young people’s confidence in using public transport, increased their awareness of safety and planning, and empowered them to support their peers by creating accessible resources based on lived experience.

Social action project to raise funds for the CHIPS playschemes for young people with SEND
The youth council members researched the work of CHIPS, a Hertfordshire charity that offers playschemes for children with additional needs and their siblings, and decided to hold a ‘bake sale’ fundraiser to raise money and awareness of the charity. They explored potential venues for the event and agreed that it would be held at Waltham Cross Young People’s Centre, and the cakes could be made there too. The members designed a poster to promote the event, developing their communication and creative skills.

As part of this process, the young people discussed why CHIPS is important for young people with SEND and their families, helping to increase their understanding of community support services and the impact of fundraising.

The bake sale took place during February half term at Waltham Cross Young People’s Centre and raised £260.30. The social action project enhanced the young people’s decision making, teamwork, and planning skills. It also encouraged young people to take an active role in their community and develop a sense of social responsibility by supporting a cause that directly benefits SEND young people and their families.

Hidden disabilities
The youth council members explored the topic of hidden disabilities through discussions and creative activities, including creating a video and artwork to raise awareness. This helped both the young people and the wider community to understand that not all disabilities are visible.

The session opened meaningful conversations about autism, ADHD, dyslexia, Tourette’s syndrome, and mental health conditions, providing young people with a safe space to share knowledge, ask questions, and reflect on lived experiences.

By leading these awareness-raising activities, the young people developed empathy, confidence, and communication skills, while challenging stereotypes and misconceptions around disability. The project supported inclusion, promoted understanding, and empowered the young people to advocate for themselves and others within their community.

Planning for the new term and reviewing ground rules
The Dacorum SEND Youth Council began the new term by agreeing group rules, planning activities, and reviewing key dates. They also decided to create a noticeboard for Bennetts End? Young People’s Centre and started designing it.

The young people took ownership of their project and developed awareness of key dates and community events. The session supported teamwork and teambuilding while helping young people build confidence and self esteem. The activities also encouraged creativity, independent thinking, active listening through group discussions.

Creating artwork for National Youth Work Week
This week the group began working on art pieces for National Youth Work Week, following the 2025 theme of 'Building Brighter Futures'. Through this activity, they developed their creativity and imaginative thinking as they processed their ideas and shared experiences with each other, reflecting on how youth work projects provide safe places where young people can get the support they need to thrive and be empowered to reach their full potential.

Visit from the Health Improvement Lead for the Hertfordshire Health and Wellbeing Survey for young people with SEND
The youth council members were visited by Joanna Aves, the Children and Young People Health Improvement Lead for Public Health Hertfordshire. Joanna shared the revised SEND Health and Wellbeing Survey for their review. The group provided valuable feedback, suggesting options such as a choice of screen colours, including dark mode, simplifying some of the questions, and using images within the questionnaire to enhance its accessibility.

Throughout the session, the young people were able to share their views with this senior leader, engaging in group discussions, and building confidence and self esteem. The activity also encouraged independent and creative thinking, relationship building, active listening, and thoughtful, creative problem solving

Visit from the Health Improvement Lead for Community Protection
The young people welcomed Rushma Patel, Community Protection Health Improvement Lead for Public Health Hertfordshire. Rushma led a discussion with the group about vaping and young people’s experiences. They watched new videos that have been made for the HCC Youth Vaping campaign ‘Vape Brain’ and gave their feedback.

As well as having their voices heard and contributing to this campaign, they developed independent thinking and group discussion skills, increased their awareness of vaping and its risks, and improved their confidence and self esteem.

SEND Social Media Takeover Day
The group worked on their contributions to the 2025 Voices of Hertfordshire SEND Social Media Takeover Day. The theme was ‘This is me’ and they creatively expressed the different aspects that make them who they are beyond their disabilities.

The fun session built on their teamwork and independent thinking skills, creativity and self-expression, awareness of social/cultural events, and increased their understanding of hidden disabilities.

Completing the SfYP Autumn Impact Survey and reviewing the HCC Plan for Children and Young People 2026-31
The young people began the session by completing the SfYP Autumn Impact Survey to give their feedback on the support they’ve had from SfYP and how being part of the youth council has helped them. Afterwards, they watched the video about the HCC Plan for Children and Young People and took part in a group discussion to share their thoughts.

Throughout the session, they demonstrated a range of skills as they brainstormed ideas and engaged in thoughtful group discussions and independent thinking. They also developed their teamwork and relationship-building skills.

Visit from the Chief Operating Officer of SPACE
The youth council took part in a structured series of sessions designed to develop their confidence, social communication, and collaborative skills. As part of this, Nicky Chaperlin, Chief Operating Officer of SPACE, a charity that supports families of neurodivergent children and young people, came to one of the sessions to talk with the group about what makes an event accessible and enjoyable, particularly for those with sensory, communication, or social-interaction differences.

Through discussions and practical planning, they considered sensory-friendly environments, clear signage and structured zones, quiet breakout spaces, and inclusive, low-pressure games. The input from Nicky strengthened the term’s learning objectives by modelling neuro-affirming practice and empowering the young people to recognise and value diversity within their peer group.

Preparing for visit from local councillor
Building on this term’s collaborative work, the group will welcome Green Party Councillor Kirsty Moran-Taylor next term to support their development of community awareness, advocacy, and youth voice opportunities. The young people are jointly preparing thoughtful questions focused on how neurodivergent people can be better supported in their local area.

National Youth Work Week
Members of the youth council created artwork for National Youth Work Week, responding to the 2025 theme of ‘Building Brighter Futures’. The activity supported their creativity and imaginative thinking, while providing space for young people to explore ideas and share experiences together.

SEND Social Media Takeover Day
The young people worked on their contributions to the 2025 Voices of Hertfordshire SEND Social Media Takeover Day. The theme was ‘This is me’ and they creatively expressed the different aspects that make them who they are beyond their disabilities.

The fun session built on their teamwork and independent thinking skills, creativity and self-expression, awareness of social/cultural events, and increased their understanding of hidden disabilities.

Developing communication skills and the confidence to have their say
Members of the Hertsmere SEND Youth Council took part in a range of activities to develop their teamwork and communication skills. Icebreakers, discussions, and small group tasks enabled them to build their confidence and leadership skills, practise their listening skills, strengthen relationships, and help them get to know one another. The group also explored the purpose of the youth council and identified and agreed shared goals for the term.

As a result, young people felt safe, welcomed, and ready to engage. They increased their self esteem, built stronger friendships, and gained a better understanding of the issues affecting their local area. The activities also helped them recognise that their voices are valued and that they can contribute to positive change. Clear goals for future project work were established, supporting ongoing participation and personal development.

Visit from the Health Improvement Lead for the Hertfordshire Health and Wellbeing Survey for young people with SEND
The SEND Youth Council was visited by Joanna Aves, the Children and Young People Health Improvement Lead for Public Health Hertfordshire. The group reviewed the Health and Wellbeing Survey for young people with SEND and discussed its content and how accessible it is to young people with SEND.

Their work with Joanna gave them a clearer understanding of how they can make a positive difference through their contributions and ideas. They were able to share their views on issues affecting them and explore different ways that their input can contribute to meaningful change in their community.

Outcomes and skills development
Activities this term focused on developing essential communication and social skills, including taking turns, active listening, and sharing ideas within a diverse group. Taking part in small-group problem solving tasks supported the young people to learn important collaboration skills and significantly improved their confidence in speaking and contributing to discussions.

Vaping awareness
The youth council members reviewed and discussed an existing youth vaping campaign and extended their knowledge of the health risks associated with vaping by completing a myth-buster quiz. The young people shared that vaping is increasing among young people and felt there is a lack of accessible and engaging health information available to them. Through group discussions, the young people were able to share their learning with one another and were given opportunities to further spread this knowledge among their peers.

Celebrating Black History Month
Led by the youth workers, the young people discussed their existing knowledge of black history and the significant people in the black community. As a group they talked about the impact of Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks on equality. They also completed the Black History Month quiz on the BBC Bitesize website to further enhance their knowledge and understanding of the achievements of black people from history and their impact on society.

National Youth Work Week
As a group, the young people explored the National Youth Agency (NYA) website and discussed the National Youth Work Week 2025 theme of Building Brighter Futures. The young people reflected on how youth work has impacted their lives and discussed the benefits of attending a youth work project. They expressed their views creatively by drawing pictures to show how youth work helps them and how it makes them feel. One young person chose to express their experience by writing a song.

Visit from the Stevenage and North Herts Youth Work Practice Manager
A Q&A session took place with Laura Butcher, the Services for Young People Youth Work Practice Manager for Stevenage and North Herts. The group wanted to increase awareness of SfYP youth work projects among other young people in their area and adapted a promotional poster to reflect what SfYP offers to young people with SEND in North Herts. They added their own testimonies, explaining why they enjoy attending the project as they felt this would encourage more young people to join one.

SEND Social Media Takeover Day
This session focused on planning for the 2025 Voices of Hertfordshire SEND Social Media Takeover Day. One young person shared a PowerPoint presentation explaining the purpose of the day. As a group, the young people decided they would like to make and decorate masks to reflect the theme of hidden disabilities. They flipped the idea of hidden disabilities by designing masks that showcased and highlighted their own hidden disabilities rather than concealing them. They discussed the symbolism of wearing a mask and reflected on how they often mask their disabilities in daily life to fit in. These discussions created a safe space for sharing experiences and increased understanding and empathy within the group.

HCC Plan for Children and Young People 2026–31
The group visited the Hertfordshire County Council Plan for Children and Young People webpages and watched the animated video explaining the plan. They agreed it was a clear and engaging way to understand its purpose. They felt the video was easy to follow and helped make the information more accessible for young people.

Group ownership of the St Albans Youth Council for young people with SEND
The welcome back session focused on icebreakers and rebuilding group rapport. The youth council agreed expectations and structure for the term and discussed their goals. Youth Mayor and Deputy Youth Mayor roles were allocated, and the group was renamed Youth Voice at the young people’s request. Groupwork strengthened youth voice and ownership, while leadership roles boosted confidence and established clear peer representatives.

Communication, strengths and barriers
The group activities were focused on communication and identifying strengths and barriers for people with SEND. The group mapped preferred communication styles and accessibility needs, and an email was sent to local MP Victoria Collins. Confidence in expressing needs increased, group cohesion improved—supporting quieter and new members to feel included—and future sessions were made more accessible, enhancing participation quality.

Black History Month
The young people created a SEND-inclusive Black History Month display and reflected on representation, identity, and visibility, exploring links between cultural identity and SEND experiences. The activity boosted young people’s pride and visibility within school, promoted awareness of diversity among their peers, and helped the wider student community see young people with SEND as leaders of positive cultural change.

Team debate on vaping
The group split into two teams to debate the use of vapes. They researched key issues, including mental health impacts, environmental concerns, peer pressure, and youth marketing. Each team presented their arguments, followed by an open discussion and reflection on how vaping affects young people in the community. The activity developed critical thinking, research, communication and debate skills, increased awareness of vaping risks, and encouraged a sense of community responsibility.

SEND Social Media Takeover Day
The young people were part of the 2025 Voices of Hertfordshire SEND Social Media Takeover Day and produced an 18-minute podcast exploring lived experiences and hidden disabilities, with others contributing views on support in school and the community. The content was shared during SEND social media takeover week, amplifying the voice of young people with SEND to a wider audience, increasing pride and self esteem through professional content creation, and helping the wider community gain a deeper understanding of hidden disabilities through authentic youth perspectives.

Visit from the Hertfordshire and West Essex SEND Mental Health Support Team
The youth council welcomed the SEND Mental Health Support Team to the session, who showed the young people how their feedback on last term’s leaflet had been used. The group then provided further input for the next stage of development.

The young people enjoyed seeing their feedback acknowledged and acted on, which helped them feel listened to and boosted their confidence and self esteem.

National Youth Work Week
The group created artwork for National Youth Work Week to express how youth work has supported their personal development and shaped their futures by using painting, drawing and textiles. They also wrote brief explanations to accompany their artwork.

The young people enjoyed the creative process and reflected that it helped them recognise how much they’ve grown during their time with our services.

Visit from the Health Improvement Lead for the Hertfordshire Health and Wellbeing Survey for young people with SEND
The SEND Youth Council welcomed Joanna Aves, the Children and Young People Health Improvement Lead for Public Health Hertfordshire, who spoke to the group about the Health and Wellbeing Survey. The young people reviewed the current survey and provided feedback on potential improvements.

As many members had completed the survey before, they enjoyed seeing how it is developed behind the scenes. Joanna was highly engaging and recorded all their suggestions, helping the young people feel listened to. Their contributions will not only benefit our group but also improve the survey’s accessibility and experience for other young people with SEND.

Environment and sustainability project
The session focused on the chosen theme: environment and sustainability. The young people selected specific topics for posters, researched relevant information, and began designing their ideas. Through this work, they developed a better understanding of their personal impact on the environment, such as not recycling properly or using single-use plastics, and explored sustainable changes they could make. Their creativity and enthusiasm were evident, and they are looking forward to seeing their posters displayed at Stevenage Young People’s Centre.

Reviewing the Hertfordshire Health and Wellbeing Survey for young people with SEND
The youth council members shared their views on the survey, providing thoughtful and honest responses based on their experiences. This process ensured that their voices were heard, as they discussed what they liked about the survey and highlighted areas they felt could be improved, helping to shape future SEND consultation and engagement.

Visit from local community policing team to explored knife crime and personal safety for young people
The young people explored how they can be mindful of their personal safety and discussed the impact of knife crime on their local community. Through open and supportive conversations, they developed a stronger understanding of what personal safety means and why it is important. They shared their own experiences and reflections related to knife crime, which helped to deepen awareness of the real-life consequences and encouraged peer learning, empathy, and informed discussion around staying safe.

Sexual health and relationships education for young people with SEND in schools
The group took part in discussions around sexual health awareness and appropriate relationships education for young people with SEND in school settings. The conversation highlighted that current provision in schools is often limited or not sufficiently accessible for young people with SEND, leaving gaps in understanding and support. As a response, the young people worked together to design an awareness leaflet for use in local schools, with the intention of improving information, accessibility, and support for learners with SEND around health, wellbeing, and relationships education.

Exploring hidden disabilities
The group discussed how young people with SEND can often feel excluded from society and the importance of being accepted for who they are. The discussion explored feelings of difference, belonging, and confidence, particularly in relation to how young people with SEND are perceived by others. They talked about how the world could be more inclusive, including greater understanding of invisible disabilities and challenging negative or inaccurate societal views. This conversation supported young people to reflect on inclusion, self identity, and the changes needed to help young people with SEND feel valued, understood, and included.

Chronic Pain Month
The youth council explored what daily life can be like for someone living with chronic pain, including hearing one of the member’s lived experience of fibromyalgia. The discussion helped the group develop greater understanding and empathy, increasing awareness of the long-term challenges and barriers people with chronic pain may face throughout their lives.

SEND Social Media Takeover Day
The group held a discussion on hidden disabilities in preparation for the Voices of Hertfordshire 2025 SEND Social Media Takeover Day, exploring what they are, examples of hidden disabilities, how it can feel to live with one, and whether these disabilities are always recognised by others. Young people shared their own experiences and perspectives. The group created a poster highlighting comments people have made to them and the impact these comments have had on their feelings, to raise awareness and understanding of hidden disabilities, this artwork was put forward and used for the SEND Social Media Takeover Day.

Visit from the Hertfordshire and West Essex Mental Health Support Team
The youth council hosted a visit from a Mental Health Practitioner from the Mental Health Support Team. The group reviewed the service’s referral process and provided feedback on promotional materials. The young people reported improved self esteem and sense of value through having their voices heard within a mental health service, particularly as many of the group have personal experience of accessing mental health support.

Knife crime advocacy letter to local MPs
The young people discussed knife crime and collaboratively drafted a letter to the local MPs, advocating for access to life-saving resources and preventative support. Through the discussion, young people developed a greater understanding of the legal system and how it operates, alongside improved critical thinking and a more comprehensive awareness of the complex social and personal factors that can lead individuals to become involved in crime.

Visit from the Hertfordshire and West Essex Mental Health Support Team
Charlotte Sandford from the SEND Mental Health Support Team revisited the youth council to speak with the young people about how their previous feedback had shaped changes to the referral forms. The group then offered additional suggestions and tested the updated forms through a trial run to check how clear and easy they were to understand.

Black History Month
The young people explored the 2026 theme 'Pride and Power' through group discussions and poster making, using their artwork to express what the theme meant to them.

One young person said: "Creating my poster helped me feel proud of who I am and learn more about other people’s stories too."

Visit from county councillor
The youth council welcomed Councillor Hillary Skoczylas, Deputy Executive Member for Education, SEND and Inclusion, to the session. They showcased the work they have undertaken this term and previous terms. Meeting with Councillor Skoczylas gave young people a valuable opportunity to not only showcase their achievements but also reinforce that their contributions are recognised by local decision makers. Cllr Skoczylas was able to see evidence of how the SEND youth council plan their future work. Collaboration between young people and local government fosters trust and builds stronger relationships between young people and community leaders.

The young people also planned an activity around safety on Halloween, which included posters to be put up at all SfYP young people’s centres.

Debate Club
The group developed their debating skills by exploring topics that mattered to them, including school uniforms, SEND college courses and healthy eating. They prepared and presented arguments for and against each issue, which helped build confidence, teamwork and respectful listening. Taking part in structured debates also gave them a stronger sense of ownership and voice in discussions that relate directly to their lives.

SEND Social Media Takeover Day
The young people created songs, poems and posters exploring the theme of hidden disabilities for the Voices of Hertfordshire SEND Social Media Takeover Day. Several participants chose to share their own lived experiences, including mental health challenges, growing up deaf and synaesthesia, using creative expression to raise awareness and challenge stigma. Sharing lived experiences of hidden disabilities, such as mental health challenges, growing up deaf and synaesthesia helped normalise these conversations and reduce stigma among peers. The social media takeover allowed young people’s voices to reach a wider audience, encouraging others to speak openly about their own experiences and seek support. Their creative work also helped educate the public about hidden disabilities, promoting greater understanding and inclusivity across the community.