Members of the Youth Cabinet brought a whole new meaning to the term ‘speed dating’ when they agreed to meet members of Sandwell MBC’s Cabinet on Thursday 6th November, in a bid to gain a better understanding of them and their roles.

The event organised by Sandwell Youth Service and Members Services was held at Coneygre Youth Arts Centre. The event provided the young people with an opportunity to meet the Council’s political leaders, to get know them, find out a bit about their portfolios and understand decision making processes in the Council.

As a member of the Shadow Youth Cabinet, the young people (who are elected by other young people) shadow a Cabinet member. To enable young people to make informed choices about the Cabinet members and portfolios they wished to ‘shadow’ an afternoon of ‘speeding dating’ was planned. The purpose of the event was to provide the young people with an opportunity to meet the Cabinet members and to develop their understanding of how the Council’s decision making processes worked.

Prior to the event, the young people expected the evening to be something very stuffy, boring and dull. Instead they were surprised to find the Councillors to be very approachable, informed and willing to listen.

The event began with a small buffet and a clear divide in the room with Councillors on one side and young people on the other. Once the session began, people became more comfortable and relaxed and the evening was opened by brief speeches from Jessica Masaun – Chair of Sandwell’s Shadow Youth Cabinet, Councillor Bill Thomas, Leader of the Council and Councillor Ian Jones – Cabinet Member for Children & Young People.

The Youth Cabinet approached each Councillor in two’s or three’s, they had 10 minutes to ‘grill’ them. After the 10 minutes had passed the bell rang and they moved clockwise to the next Councillor until they had met all nine.

There was a real ‘buzz’ in the room as the conversation flowed between young people and Councillors, to the point, that at times it became difficult to move the young people on!

Both sides felt that the event was a huge success and has set good foundations for developing the ‘shadowing’ arrangements.

Jessica Masaun, Chair of Sandwell’s Youth Cabinet said ‘all the young people have really enjoyed themselves and found it really easy to talk to the members. They are now really looking forward to starting the shadowing’.

Councillor Bill Thomas, Leader of the Council, stated ‘the evening was most enjoyable, with an impressive level of interest and questioning from the young people. My Cabinet colleagues and I are really looking forward to working with our shadows.’

This event is to be followed up with a further meeting in early December where shadowing arrangements will be formalised and young people on the Youth Cabinet will have decided on the Cabinet member they wish to shadow.

For further information on this event or the Shadow Youth Cabinet please contact Tariq Karim, Youth Involvement Manager on 0845 352 7541 or e-mail tariq_karim@sandwell.gov.uk.