Harvest Housing Group hosted their 15th annual seminar on Tuesday (30th November) at Manchester Airport’s Atlantic Suite, gathering staff and partners together to discuss the very topical subject of today’s young people.
Former BBC news reporter, Felicity Goodey, chaired the highly interactive seminar, ‘Youth – Problem or Opportunity’, which involved lively debate and brainstorming sessions between the guests.
The key-note speakers were Ben Harrison and Paul Oginsky from the youth charity, Weston Spirit, which they co-founded in 1988 with Falklands veteran, Simon Weston OBE.
They addressed guests with anecdotes and examples of their youth development programme and strategies, while the results of their success were evident in a group of young people with whom Weston Spirit work, and who were happy to chat with seminar guests and share some thought provoking insights about their own experiences.
Ian Perry, Chief Executive of Harvest Housing Group said:
“This seminar was one of our best yet. The issue of youth is a very relevant subject, not only to our staff and partners, many of whom work directly with young people on a day-to-day basis, but to our society as a whole. We need to stamp out the negative and inaccurate perception of young people that exists today, and instead support them and present them with as many opportunities as possible to fuel their aspirations and ambitions.”
Seminar attendees were asked to look at the issues facing today’s youth, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds and were invited to discuss the solutions that Harvest have already implemented in their neighbourhoods, and to also put forward ideas for possible solutions in the future.
Ian adds:
“It was wonderful to have the input of some younger people themselves, after all they’re the people that matter in all this. It is important that they are listened to, and their opinions have certainly helped us see how Harvest should take the youth issue forward.”
Also speaking at the seminar was Lady Joyce Montgomery, who has been Harvest’s Chairman for the past 20 years. Having recently announced her retirement, which will take effect next September, this was her last annual seminar. Having been a real champion for youth issues over the years, Harvest’s 15th annual seminar was the ideal final forum for her thoughts and views to be aired and Harvest staff will now continue to build upon the excellent foundations that have already been put in place to ensure that social background is not a barrier to success for today’s young people.