Articles

Plans for Commission to improve lives of young people

Date Posted: 5:10 PM on Wed, 22 March 2023

Gedling Borough Council is establishing a Social Mobility Commission to improve life chances and opportunities for young people in the borough.

The Commission will consist of a small panel of key stakeholders with experience and roles that make them best placed to inform and shape social mobility work locally. The purpose, role, and responsibilities of the Commission will be agreed at its first meeting where they will review the research done so far for this important issue. The first meeting will also be supported with a report produced by Gedling Borough Council detailing the current Social Mobility scoring of the area.

The Commission will include representatives from Gedling Borough Council led by Portfolio Holder for Diverse Communities and Life Chances, Councillor Kathryn Fox and including the Deputy Leader, Councillor Michael Payne and Portfolio Holder for Young People and Equalities, Councillor Viv McCrossen. There will also be representatives sought from Nottinghamshire County Council, Nottinghamshire Police, Nottingham Trent University, Gedling Youth Council, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Integrated Care Board, as well as the Voluntary and Community Sector and Business Sector.

The Commission will consider whether there are gaps in the research that require further exploration and any recommendation or actions agreed at the inaugural meeting will inform the Social Mobility Action Plan for Gedling. The Social Mobility Action Plan will be overseen by the Council on behalf of the Commission.

The establishment of a Social Mobility Commission for Gedling is proposed to use the expertise available to review the current social mobility of residents and consider how all communities might be enabled to reach their full potential. It will advocate for the needs of the communities and influence the allocation of existing and future mainstream resources of partners.

Councillor Kathryn Fox, Portfolio Holder for Diverse Communities and Life Chances said:

“We are delighted to announce this new Commission to bring together all of the key partners to help improve the life chances of young people in Gedling.

Addressing inequality in the community will be at the centre of the Commission’s work, and the Commission will assess equalities-based demographic data, provided by partners and by Gedling Borough Council. We will be supporting the Commission to create an action plan that will make real change and create a hopeful future for our young people.”

Deputy Leader of Gedling Borough Council, Councillor Michael Payne said:

“We are bringing everyone around the table and asking them to look at the data and let’s find a solution together to address one of the key issues for our society. The young people of Gedling are our future and we must do everything we can to support them and provide them with the resources they need to be able to succeed. We are very proud to be able to get this Commission started and I look forward to the great work that it will produce.”