06 December, 2008

Playful Childhoods event on 17 December

We hope that our emails interest you. If not, just click the unsubscribe link at the end. Can't read this email? Click here to see it onlineVCS Mattersworking to improve the lives of children & young peoplePlayful ChildhoodsDear Colleague

Playful Childhoods have Better Outcomes

We invite you to a policy event at BVSC on Wednesday 17 December, 9.15- 1.00 pm followed by lunch. Keynote speakers include Councillor Les Lawrence, Cabinet Member for Children Young People and Families, and Tim Gill, one of the UK's leading thinkers on childhood.

The event will consider how the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) can influence the play agenda to achieve the vision for Birmingham 2026 to ensure that a good childhood involves play and that society supports children's right to play.

Children across the UK are leading ever more constrained and supervised lives. As a result too many are unfit, unhappy and disconnected from the people and places around them. What should decision makers in Birmingham do to make the city a more healthy, engaging and enjoyable place for children to grow up?

Experts, politicians and the public agree that good play opportunities are a vital part of a happy, healthy childhood. Moreover, the national policy profile of play has risen steadily over the last decade. Yet at the regional and local levels, the picture is more mixed.

Tim Gill believes that in tackling the big issues of childhood, local decision makers need to look beyond the obvious levers of children's services: schools, childcare, preventative services, play and leisure services. They need to adopt a clear, positive vision for the kinds of neighbourhoods in which children should be growing up, and the kinds of everyday life experience that should be on offer to them.

In London, effective lobbying from the children's sector resulted in a strong strategic focus for children, and to planning policies that should improve children's lives for generations to come. While life is clearly far from perfect for many of the capital's children, Tim will argue that the city offers a valuable case study of civic leadership that Birmingham can learn from.

This event is open to all VCS organisations working with children and young people in Birmingham. To register please return the attached booking form to Rosella Cosgrove at rosellac@bvsc.org - fax 0121-643 4541 or phone 0121-678 8817.

We look forward to seeing you.

With best wishes,

Yvonne, Chris & Jason
VCS Matters TeamTo unsubscribe, please click here.
VCS Matters, 138 Digbeth, Birmingham B5 6DR -
http://www.vcsmatters.org/ - Tel: 0121 - 678 8834

No comments: