University of Sunderland

Raising and Realising Aspirations

The Raising and Realising Aspirations conference was aimed to promote the understanding of outcomes when young people and children in the North East have unfulfilled ambitions.  Another aim was to find specific ideas for activities which could promote the support of raising and maintaining young people and children's aspirations.

The conference was a great success and people from many different disciplines and services attended, including: staff from the University of Sunderland,  the Deputy Director of Children's Services at Sunderland City Council, Estelle Morris the Baroness of Yardley, Joan O'Keefe the then Head of the Centre for Children, Young People and Families, Kevin Morris the Head of Department for Social Science along with the Regional Youth Work Unity North East, policy makers, senior and operational managers from other neighbouring local authorities, the health sector, schools and colleges, children and young people's services, youth offending teams and the voluntary sector.

One of the opening speeches was given by Baroness Estelle Morris; her presentation along with others challenged the raising and realising of aspirations here in the North East of England.  A series of bite-sized seminars on the day focused on the important issues of young parents, transitions, early years and disengaged young people. 

The conference was a pro-active step closer to help change the lives of children and young people for the better.  After all, children are the adults of the future.

To find out information about the Children's Society please visit: http://www.childrenssociety.org.uk/what_you_can_do/438.html