The first GMC Regional Youth Assembly
It is up to every single person in this room tonight to write the script for what happens next. The script that wins justice, builds community, and restores hope across our wonderful city.
Haiqa, Manchester Islamic Grammar School for Girls
On 4 July 2025, 200 leaders from across Greater Manchester came together for the first ever Greater Manchester Citizens Regional Youth Assembly!
Led entirely by young people from Manchester Islamic Grammar School for Girls, Dixons Brooklands Academy, Dixons Newall Green and Khizra Masjid, youth leaders shared their powerful testimony on stage, and secured tangible commitments for change on the issues that matter most to them.
Tackling Hate & Discrimination
The issue of rising hate & discrimination across Greater Manchester was raised over and over again in our listening campaign. Powerful stories were shared by leaders from across our alliance about their experiences online, on the streets and across the Bee Network.
We should be able to walk through our parks, get on our trams and buses, and be safe.
Khizra Youth Leader
Youth leaders asked Kate Green, the Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester one question:
1. Will you commit to giving Greater Manchester Citizens youth leaders a seat at the table, and have a meeting with us in the Autumn to share our concerns about hate and discrimination, so we can start building solutions together?
I am absolutely committed to coming to meeting you later on in the year, hearing more about your stories and experiences, and how we can work together to give every one of our young people a chance to be heard, and to make a difference. A difference for yourselves, and a difference to the life of everybody in Greater Manchester.
Kate Green, Deputy Mayor Greater Manchester
Youth Mental Health
Youth leaders from Dixons Newall Green and Khizra Masjid shared their experiences of a mental health system that is failing young people across Greater Manchester.
I am worried about what will happen as I get older, and that I will be pushed to the bottom of the mental health waiting list when I turn 18. I would then have to wait for support all over again.
Dixons Youth Leader
Youth leaders asked Melissa Maguinness, the Commissioning Director for NHS GM two questions:
1. Will you give us a seat at the table, starting with meeting our team in the autumn, so we can to start to address some of the issues raised about CAMHS?
2. Can you share when the CAMHS cliff-edge will end?
Melissa Maguinness committed to meeting with us in the Autumn alongside other NHS leaders, to progress our work together.
We need to make sure that those gaps that we currently have, with young people being concerned about going to the bottom of the waiting list, doesn’t happen.
Melissa Maguinness, Commissioning Director for NHS GM
Community Safety
Our final focus of the evening were around issues related to Community Safety. Youth leaders shared their experiences in Greater Manchester’s parks, using public transport and when walking home.
The first time I went on a bus with my friends to go into Manchester, it was horrible. There were drunk people on the bus, as well as people smoking. all you could smell was alcohol and cigarette smoke. The bus was dirty, with rubbish everywhere.”
Dixons Newall Green Youth Leader
Youth leaders made the following asks of Danny Vaughan, Chief Network Officer for TfGM:
- Will you commit to advertising your travelsafe live chat across all trams, buses and metro stops in Greater Manchester?
- Will you commit to meeting with us in 6 months’ time to confirm if this has been done, and discuss how else we can improve safety on the transport network?
I can say yes we can commit to both of those things. We heard some powerful testimony here.
Danny Vaughan, Chief Network Officer for TfGM
Youth leaders made the following asks of Chief Inspector Broadstock, of Greater Manchester Police:
- Will you commit to coming on a neighbourhood walk with us across Wythenshawe in the evening so we can show you the issues we are talking about in the area?
- Will Greater Manchester police commit to working with us on an action plan moving forwards to address street safety?
Yes, you have my commitment to a neighbourhood walk in Wythenshawe. I’ll be out there with you. You have our absolute commitment to work with you.
Chief Inspector Broadstock
So what's next?
We are excited to share that we will now be meeting with the NHS, Greater Manchester Police, the Deputy Mayor and Transport for Greater Manchester over the coming months.
As our alliances continues to grow, this is just the start of our work together. If you want to get involved on organiser for a fairer Greater Manchester, contact our Organiser Sophie at sophie.morbey@citizensuk.org. We would love for you to join us.
Watch this space!