Youth Forum

Our new Youth Forum is designed to give you a say on Wakefield Museums & Castles!

We're looking for young people, aged 16 to 25, who would like to help us make our museums and castles more engaging and accessible for young people. 

What will I be doing?

We want to include your voices in our activities, plans, policies and strategies. We want you to be involved in decision making and to help us find innovative new ways of doing things. 

You'll attend monthly sessions, run by museum staff, with a mix of discussions, creative hands-on activities, and opportunities to get to know your fellow Youth Forum members. 

We'll be exploring a different topic each month. We might share ideas for volunteering roles, discuss what objects we should be collecting in the future, or design a new creative workshop for young people. You'll also get a say in what topics we discuss.  

You don't need to have any experience or knowledge of museums. All you need is enthusiasm, a positive attitude and a willingness to get involved and share your ideas. 

Your ideas will be fed back to museum staff and incorporated into our planning. If we're not able to do something you suggest, we'll make sure we explain the reasons why and work together to find other solutions.

What do I need to know?

• We are recruiting for 8 members of our Youth Forum. 
• You'll be invited to attend 12 monthly sessions on Saturdays, from April 2024 to March 2025. Exact dates and times will be confirmed when you join. 
• You must commit to joining the Youth Forum for at least 6 months and to attending the majority of sessions.
• Your travel expenses will be paid and we'll pay you £10 per hour (in vouchers) for your time.
• We'll provide refreshments at every session.   
• Most sessions will be held in Wakefield One, but some sessions will be held at our other museums and castle sites in Castleford and Pontefract. All our sites are accessible by public transport. 

How do I apply?

Let us know you're interested by emailing museumslearning@wakefield.gov.uk or call or text 07825 725224. 

We'll respond with details of how to apply. The application process isn't scary - we just want to know more about you and what you would like to get from joining the Youth Forum. 

The deadline for applications is 24 March 2024. 

If we have lots of people who want to apply, we'll base our decision on what you tell us in your application. But we'll also have a waiting list and if someone leaves the Youth Forum you can still be invited to join. 

What if I have questions?

We're happy to answer any questions you might have. You can email museumslearning@wakefield.gov.uk or you can call or text 07825 725224.