Local school pupils proudly showed off their work on making their voices heard to Mike as part of Children’s Mental Health Week 2024.
Mike spent the morning at Pens Meadow special school’s two sites in Wordsley and Pensnett to hear first-hand from the children about what they think would help improve life for children in the borough.
As part of Dudley Council’s initiative, ‘Child Friendly Dudley’, the children had been working with school staff to put together a creative exhibition of drawings, writing, film and photography to express their ideas.
Teacher and Co-project lead, Rachel Piotrowicz, said:
“The Child Friendly Dudley initiative offers a fantastic opportunity for our pupils to make their voices heard and bring about change in their community. The pupils have enthusiastically shared what they like about living in the Dudley Borough, as well as suggesting some changes that would make a significant difference to their lives.
“As members of the community who sometimes communicate differently, it is more important than ever that their views are captured, shared and acted upon. Our exhibition project celebrates their voices and champions their insights in what it is like to live in the Dudley Borough for them.”
Mike visited the school, looked over the exhibition and discussed the project with the children.
Mike said:
“It's always great to visit Pens Meadow and catch up with the fantastic children and staff.
“We all know that children experience the world in a different way to adults, and for many of the children here at Pens Meadow they experience the world and their surroundings in a very different way still.
“That's why it's brilliant that the children have taken part in the Child Friendly Dudley initiative, to make sure their own views and experiences are recorded so that Dudley Council and its partners can make sure these are taken account of when making day-to-day decisions for the borough.”
Dudley Council say the aim of the initiative is to link people, groups and business together to create a brighter future for the borough’s children and young people.