Latest News
St Helens Youth Council Builds Global Youth Voice Through International Partnership with Stuttgart and Cardiff
Young people from St Helens Youth Council, supported by Vibe UK, are continuing to make their mark internationally through a growing partnership with Stuttgart, the German twin town of St Helens, and fellow UK city Cardiff.
The collaboration began in 2023, when Stuttgart reached out to Vibe UK to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the St Helens–Stuttgart town twinning. Since that first exchange, the relationship has flourished, with young people from St Helens invited back for multiple visits in September 2023, November 2024, July 2025, September 2025, and November 2025, each one building on the last.
While the most recent visit in September 2025 marked the Cardiff–Stuttgart 70th anniversary, the next trip in November 2025 will see the group join international peers to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Stuttgart Youth Council.
Across these exchanges, youth councils from St Helens, Stuttgart, and Cardiff have worked together on themes such as international relations, sustainability, and youth leadership. Their collaboration has now evolved into a new and exciting partnership, the CaST (Cardiff, St Helens, Stuttgart) Alliance.
Through the CaST Alliance, young people from all three cities will meet virtually every six weeks to share ideas, develop leadership skills, and work together on a joint international campaign designed to amplify youth voices on global issues.
“We need to recognise the importance of learning about life on an international level" Said Anja, Acting MYP for St Helens Youth Council.
“Youth exchange has helped me expand my knowledge on international environmental issues.”” said Riley, member of St Helens Youth Council.
This international partnership reflects Vibe UK’s commitment to empowering young people to lead change through its youth voice programmes. From #FeedTheNeed a youth-led movement tackling food poverty in St Helens, to campaigns on mental health and wellbeing, disability rights, LGBTQIA+ inclusion, and the cost of living crisis, Vibe UK supports young people to take action on the issues that matter most to them.
Vibe UK continues to champion youth voice and leadership across Halton, St Helens, Liverpool, and beyond, ensuring that young people are heard at the highest levels of decision-making, locally, nationally, and internationally.
St Helens Youth Council Wins “Treasure Chest” Award at Believe Awards 2025 🏆
We are thrilled to announce that St Helens Youth Council (STHYC) has been named the winner of the Treasure Chest Award at the YKids Believe Awards 2025!
The Treasure Chest Award celebrates a group of young people whose talents and contributions are rich and valuable to their community — and STHYC couldn’t be a more deserving winner.
Over the past year, STHYC has worked tirelessly on youth-led campaigns that tackle some of the most important issues facing young people today, including:
Feed the Need 🍎 – tackling food poverty and food waste in St Helens
Beyond Beautiful 💜 – promoting positive body image and self-esteem
Education for Our Generation 📚 – giving young people a stronger voice in the education system
Speak Now Podcast 🎙 – amplifying youth perspectives on key topics
From running workshops and awareness campaigns to speaking at regional and national events, the Youth Council has shown passion, creativity, and leadership in everything they do.
An Inspiring Evening at the Believe Awards
The Believe Awards ceremony, held at the Titanic Hotel in Liverpool on Friday 4th July, brought together inspiring young people, community groups, and changemakers. Eight representatives from STHYC attended to accept the award, enjoying a special evening of celebration, entertainment, and a three-course dinner.
The independent judging panel was particularly impressed by STHYC’s commitment to youth-led action, collaboration with local partners, and their ability to turn ideas into real impact.
Pride in Youth Voice
This award is a testament to the hard work, determination, and creativity of every young person involved in STHYC. It also highlights the incredible value of youth voice — when young people are given the platform, trust, and support to lead change, they achieve extraordinary things.
Congratulations to everyone at St Helens Youth Council on this well-deserved recognition! We can’t wait to see what you achieve next.
Local Young People Represent Their Communities at UK Youth Parliament in House of Commons
On Friday, 28th February, young representatives from across the UK gathered at the annual UK Youth Parliament, where over 400 Youth MPs came together to discuss pressing issues and vote on campaigns for the upcoming year.
Among the speakers were Fin from Halton and Vin from St Helens , both of whom were selected to contribute to the important debate on transport—a significant achievement and a testament to their dedication to youth advocacy.
Finlay Venables, Member of Youth Parliament (MYP) for Halton, aged 14, reflected on the experience, stating:
“Visiting the House of Commons and the Chamber was an unforgettable experience that will be ingrained in my mind forever. It was amazing for all the young people to be in those rooms of decision-making, as we are the decision-makers of the future.”
Helen McGorrin, Senior Youth Worker at Vibe UK, shared her pride in Fin’s accomplishment:
“It has been a privilege for us to support Fin on his journey to the House of Commons. He spoke so clearly and passionately on behalf of his constituency, and we are all very proud.”
The UK Youth Parliament provides young people with a platform to voice their concerns and influence real change on issues that affect their lives.
Vibe UK runs a number of youth voice programmes, empowering young people to lead and take action on the issues that matter to them. From #FeedTheNeed, a youth-led activist movement tackling food poverty in St Helens, to campaigns on mental health and wellbeing, disability rights, LGBTQIA+ inclusion, and the cost of living crisis, Vibe UK is committed to ensuring young people’s voices drive meaningful change.
Vibe UK remains dedicated to supporting young people in Halton, St Helens, Liverpool, and beyond, ensuring they are heard at the highest levels of decision-making.
Double Success at Youth Fed Awards During National Youth Work Week
What an incredible night it was last week as we attended the Youth Fed Awards in celebration of National Youth Work Week.
We are thrilled to announce that our team brought home two outstanding awards on the night. April Beadman was honoured with the Youth Voice Award, recognising her commitment to amplifying young people’s perspectives and making a meaningful impact. In addition, Me Time was crowned Youth Group of the Year, celebrating the group’s dedication to supporting and empowering young people.
With 62 nominations and only 12 awards presented, this achievement is a testament to the passion, hard work, and dedication of everyone involved.
We are incredibly proud of our winners and extend a huge congratulations to all nominees. Your commitment continues to make a real and lasting difference in the lives of young people.
Young people from Liverpool join nationwide youth and democracy network
Young people from Liverpool have joined the first workshop of a new nationwide youth network to re-imagine the future of democracy.
Four young people representing Vibe UK have joined over 30 of their peers from across the UK to work with the Windsor-based education charity Cumberland Lodge as part of its flagship Youth & Democracy project.
Over the course of the weekend (8-10 November), the attendees aged 15-20 enjoyed sessions run by the charity as well as guest organisations including USA-based Braver Angels, and the Institute for Strategic Dialogue.
They have all previously attended focus groups run by the charity in regions across the country, including Liverpool, Belfast, Birmingham, Cornwall, and Edinburgh.
Their conversations inform a new report from Cumberland Lodge, Rising Voices: Youth Perspectives on Political Engagement, published this week, which makes recommendations for how to increase young people’s political participation.
The Youth & Democracy network is designed to build young people’s confidence in critical thinking, community engagement, and communication skills, and to enable them to connect with peers from different regions.
Our aim is for young people to be able to take the skills they develop back into their communities, to engage in democratic practices and promote political participation.
Rebecca Seeley, Youth Worker with Vibe UK, said of the workshop:
“I think they really enjoyed it and they found it very beneficial. Before it started, they were a bit nervous, but now they've got skills they were never expecting. I hope that they can take away that they can do anything. Even starting small, small is not bad, it will grow.”
Munny Purba, Programme Officer at Cumberland Lodge and author of the Rising Voices report, said:
“Including young voices in conversations about democracy is essential. They bring fresh perspectives and a deep understanding of the issues facing their communities, yet are too often left out of these discussions.
By equipping young people with a toolkit of skills in constructive dialogue, critical thinking, and community engagement, we hope they can adapt these tools to fit their unique contexts.
This approach goes beyond political engagement; it’s about nurturing a generation that values empathy, resilience, and collaboration in the face of complex social challenges in an increasingly polarised world.”
A copy of the report can be downloaded here: Rising Voices: Youth Perspectives on Political Engagement - Report - Cumberland Lodge
Cumberland Lodge is an educational charity and social enterprise that exists to empower young people to lead the conversation around social division, providing them with the skills, perspective and confidence to question, challenge and understand some of the most complex social issues of our time.
St Helens MYP Wins Frank Hornby Award
On Friday, June 21st, Vin Stokes, the Member of Youth Parliament (MYP) and Chair of St Helens Youth Council, was honoured with the prestigious Frank Hornby Award at the YKids Believe Awards ceremony. The event, held at the Titanic Hotel, celebrated young individuals making a positive impact in their communities.
Vin received the Frank Hornby Award for his exceptional work with the "Feed the Need" campaign, which addresses food insecurity and waste. The award is presented to young people who are dedicated to making the world a better place.
Rebecca, a youth worker at Vibe UK and Vin's nominator, expressed their pride and admiration, saying, "As the person who nominated Vin for this award, it is fantastic to see his efforts with Feed the Need being recognised. He's a hardworking individual who has a very clear goal with his campaign. I'm so proud of everything he's done so far and excited to see what he will go on to do."
This accolade marks Vin's second major recognition this year, following his win for "Campaign of the Year 2023" at the Youth Voice Awards in January. Additionally, Vin recently secured a second term as MYP during the local elections held alongside the Make Your Mark ballot.
The "Feed the Need" campaign has recently achieved significant milestones, including securing a large grant and plans to host a community event in October.
They have also received a large donation of what would've become waste from Jacob's (Pladis) Factory as part of the Feed the Need campaign, furthering their mission to combat food waste and support those in need.
Social Media Links:
Instagram: Feed the Need
Instagram: St Helens Youth Council
TikTok: St. Helens Youth Council