Child Friendly Warwickshire

“Young people are the voice of the future: a future we should take every opportunity to influence. This conference gave us that chance by creating a space to talk with each other and to local organisations about our views on issues we care about and how we can make a difference and shape our communities.”

As part of Warwickshire County Council’s Child Friendly Warwickshire initiative, two Youth Conferences have been held to give young people a platform to share their views and shape the future.

The first, Future Ready, took place in 2022, followed by Voices of Tomorrow in 2023. Both conferences were hosted by Child Friendly Warwickshire and Warwickshire County Council’s Voice, Influence & Change team, organised and led by young people for young people, providing an opportunity to discuss key issues that matter to them. Reports and videos from both conferences are available below, showcasing the insights and contributions made by young people across Warwickshire.

Take a look at our 2022 and 2023 Youth Conferences:

• Future Ready: Warwickshire's Youth Conference - YouTube
• Voices of Tomorrow - Warwickshire's Youth Conference 2023

If you need more information you can read the reports below.

• Future Ready – Warwickshire’s Youth Conference 2022 report (PDF, 2.3 MB)
• Voices of Tomorrow - Warwickshire’s Youth Conference 2023 report (PDF, 3.7 MB)

Shaping tomorrow together - Warwickshire's Youth Conference 2025

On Friday, 25 April, around 100 young people from across the county came together at the University of Warwick for the Warwickshire Youth Conference Shaping Tomorrow Together – a day led by young people, for young people.

Warwickshire’s Youth Council played a pivotal role in planning and organising the event, working alongside Child Friendly Warwickshire network of friends, Children in Care Council, Care Leavers Forum, IMPACT (young people’s forum for SEND) and Warwickshire County Council, to create an impactful day. The youth conference was also supported by Warwick University Student Ambassadors, who played an essential role in ensuring the day's success.

The event gave attendees the opportunity to take part in eight workshops on different topics such as life skills, smoking and vaping, crime and safety, mental health and experience in schools, creative drama, activism, spaces for boys and environment to share their views and ideas.  The young participants had the opportunity to engage with over 25 local services such as Barclays, Barnardos, Warwickshire Pride, MIND, Office of the Police Commissioner (OPCC) for Warwickshire, and Victim Support to name a few, as well as enjoying a variety of fun and engaging activities.

The conference is part of Warwickshire’s ongoing work towards becoming a more child-friendly county – one where young people are empowered to shape decisions, influence change and build the future they want to see.

If you have any questions or queries, please contact childfriendly@warwickshire.gov.uk.