The latest successful Students Speak event was held on Friday 20th November at Wakefield Town Hall. 

The Students Speak events are held on behalf of Wakefield Together, the Wakefield District Partnership.  The theme for last years event was Skills, Enterprise and Work and the event was attended by over 70 pupils from 11 schools and colleges.   

The event was hosted by Freeston College of Business and Enterprise and a student working group from the college worked with Council officers to plan and develop the event.  Local writer and TV presenter Ian Clayton compared the event encouraging students to have their say about opportunities for young people in sport, the performing arts industry and further and higher education.  

The student working group met with members of the Wakefield Together Partnership Board on 27th January to discuss findings from the Students Speak event highlighting what they thought needs improving based on the key findings from the event.  

These are the main things that young people felt could be improved in our district:

• More advice and leaflets should be distributed around to schools about employment in the performing arts industry.
• More clubs in the local district for budding drama and music/singing children and teenagers to attend with low prices so everyone can attend. 
• Produce more advertising such as poster and leaflets about sport clubs and employment within sport.
• Have a wider range of sport clubs for children and teenagers to attend.
• More information and advice about options for lessons in further years.
• Students have also said they would like more advertising about open evenings for collages and apprenticeships.

It is very important that young people are given the opportunity to speak out and the information obtained from Students at the event will be used to help shape plans and strategies and influence service delivery.