Focus Forum: Supporting Young Adults (16-25)

Focus Forum Details:

Date	Tuesday, 21st of April 2026
Time	1100 - 1200
Location	online via Zoom
Maximum number of participants	30
Who is this for?	Engaging with young adults, particularly in a rural county, can be hindered by significant barriers. This Focus Forum is intended to discuss approaches to effective engagement with people aged 16-25. It will also showcase the new Wiltshire Citizens Advice Wiltshire Youth Steering Group. It will benefit anyone interested in overcoming the challenges of engaging with this cohort.

#	Item	Facilitator(s)
1	Welcome and Introductions	Benedict van der Linde, Wiltshire Money Partnerships Manager, Wiltshire Money
2	Facilitated Discussion (suggested topics) What are the key challenges to engaging with young adults? What sort of needs and barriers to engagement have been encountered? How can young adults be engaged with earlier, and what are the benefits of this approach? How is your organisation engaging with young adults? Do different methods and channels work better with different groups? Are voluntary organisations getting interest from young volunteers? What are young adults’ motivations for volunteering?	Kate Ness, Service Manager (Specialist Services), Citizens Advice Wiltshire
3	Focus Forum close	Benedict van der Linde, Wiltshire Money Partnerships Manager, Wiltshire Money

Focus Forum Presentation
Focus Forum Recording
The Building Bridges Programme | Helping people overcome their barriers to employment and education in Wiltshire and Swindon.
WCA Youth Steering Group:
- Information about the Youth Steering Group volunteer role - including a link to the expression of interest form - can be found on the Wiltshire Citizens Advice website: https://www.citizensadvicewiltshire.org.uk/volunteer.
  - Future Steps Steering Group Poster
  - Youth Steering Group Volunteer Role Profile
The Ambitions Collective:
- What you need to know:
  - We want young people who are ready to change the world!
  - We want boundary pushers who will shake things up a bit.
- Who is it for ?
  - Young people will...
    - Be aged 16-25
    - Have either a physical disability, a learning disability, a mental health condition, or are neurodiverse, and/or have extra needs. No diagnosis necessary.
    - Have both personal goals/ want to make a positive change in their community.
- Contact us at [email protected] or email me directly - [email protected]