The latest SYCANN meeting was one of our best yet—with record attendance, vibrant discussions, and even a bit of sunshine!
Our hot seat 60 second intros were new and a bit of fun to make the online crew feel considered (so we hope). How can we support your organisation?! Have a think and try and be as specific as you can. That helps us all to pinpoint the most helpful solution. We had a last-minute but very welcome addition to the agenda: Healthwatch joined us online to share details about their Speak Up Grant. This exciting opportunity is designed to amplify the voices of young people, ensuring their experiences and perspectives are heard and acted upon. It was a powerful reminder of why we come together—to create real change through collaboration and listening.
Following Healthwatch, we had a remote presentation from Rachel, who introduced us to Over the Wall, a charity offering transformative residential camps for children with health challenges and their families for FREE. They can also help with getting you there if this is a barrier.
We were also treated to two fantastic in-person presentations:
- Rose Tomlim from Woodland Wellbeing (Heeley) shared insights into how nature-based approaches are supporting young people’s mental health and emotional resilience.
- Pete from Discover Tribe (Dronfield) closed the session with an inspiring look at their outdoor adventure and community-building work with young people. Fire making techniques mastered too by kids as young as 12!
After the presentations, everyone headed from the boardroom table and outside to the rooftop to soak in some much-needed Vitamin D and take part in a bit of wreath making (thanks Rose.for lugging your willlow stash and cord loaded basket around)—a creative and calming activity that brought everyone together in a moment of reflection and connection.
A huge thank you to all our presenters for their time and passion, and to Irwin Mitchell for generously hosting us in such a welcoming space. The view of the rushing river is delightful. Well, you are called ‘Riverside’ East for a reason.
We’re already looking forward to the next SYCANN meeting on Tuesday, 9th September from 10am–12pm. The theme is ‘Let’s talk- Period (and beyond)’ with three more guest speakers.sharing their knowledge and expertise.
Until then, let’s keep speaking up, sharing good news, and supporting one another in making a difference for young people.
