June / July 2025
At the beginning of the summer, Youth Assembly Committees reached a major milestone. After months of hard work and commitment, they shared their findings with Assembly Committees and Ministers.
Youth Assembly Committee Updates
Rights and Equality Committee
Over the last 18 months, the Rights and Equality Committee have been working on their project examining ‘Young Women’s Rights in Schools,’ exploring ideas such as sexism, uniform, attitudes, stereotypes, and safety. This project has also focused on the Executive Office’s Ending Violence Against Women and Girls’ Strategy.
Education Committee
The Education Committee worked on ‘A Curriculum fit for 21st Century’, a report which focused on Learning for Life and Work (LLW). Over the last 18 months, members gathered evidence from experts, researched the NI Curriculum, and heard from over 1500 pupils across Northern Ireland on their experience of LLW.
Health Committee
The Health Committee presented their final report, which focused on ‘Mental Health in Schools.’ They listened to young people’s experiences, and explored issues such as the stigma of mental health and what a mentally healthy school could look like. They hosted a youth stakeholder day in March to gather data which was presented to the Assembly’s Committee for Health on 3 July 2025.
To read the Committee reports or watch the evidence sessions, click here: Committee Reports – Northern Ireland Youth Assembly
On 27 June, the Youth Assembly Committees for Health and Rights & Equality presented their work to Ministers in the Senate Chamber, Parliament Buildings. The Youth Assembly Health Committee shared their findings with the Minister for Health, Mike Nesbitt MLA discussing their report ‘Mental Health in Schools’. Later in the day, the Rights & Equality Committee shared their findings with Junior Minister Aisling Reilly MLA on their report ‘Young Women’s Rights in Schools’.
School Uniform Bill
At a recent meeting of the Committee for Education, Youth Assembly Members presented their views on the School Uniforms (Guidelines and Allowances) Bill. They voiced strong support for the idea of school uniforms but called for key reforms to make policies fairer, more inclusive, and affordable.
Members highlighted concerns about high costs, especially for branded items, and argued for gender-neutral options, flexibility for pupils with disabilities, and the end of punitive measures for minor uniform breaches. The Youth Assembly advocated for clear, statutory guidance that upholds the rights and dignity of all students.
Gala Screening of 'The Negotiator'
In June, Youth Assembly Members Mia and Brooke were invited to attend the gala screening of ‘The Negotiator’, a documentary examining the life of Senator George Mitchell.
Following the screening, there was a Q&A hosted by Miriam O’Callaghan, during which Senator Mitchell shared insights on his role in the peace process in Northern Ireland.
Thank you to Docs Ireland for inviting us and congratulations on a brilliant evening!
Youth and Policing Partnership Forum
Youth Assembly Members, Lucy, Mia and Fionn attended the Youth and Policing Partnership Forum (YAPFF) at Northern Ireland Policing Board. They discussed neighbourhood policing community engagement and how to make complaints.
The YAPPF is a collaborative initiative that brings young people together with key policing bodies in Northern Ireland. It involves the Police Service of Northern Ireland, the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland, and the Northern Ireland Policing Board. Officials from the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People (NICCY) act as the independent chair to ensure fairness and accountability. We’re grateful to NICCY for including us in this important work.
Thank you!
To those who took the time to participate in research, and support Youth Assembly Members on Committee event days, we’re extremely grateful. To all the Assembly Committees, Ministers and MLAs who listened, discussed, and proposed follow ups, we are thankful for your time and engagement.
Coming up
Youth Assembly Members are enjoying a well-earned rest over the summer recess. We’ll be back with our Newsletter at the end of August as we start to recruit for new Youth Assembly Members and plan for our final plenary.
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