advice

To help us think about being by the sea we brought sand, seaweed and twigs into youth groups and classrooms. And we made drawings to show how we could get to the sea, who and what helped. And what got in the way.

• evidence

  We found out that there are a lot of things that stop children and young people from being out enjoying themselves by the sea. Sometimes adults think they should not be there, and ssume they are doing something wrong. Sometimes they get bullied. Sometimes they haven’t got the money to get there, or they are not used to going to the sea side. Being by the sea can help children and young people feel better. It can help release stress. It can also help you have adventures, if you are aware of what the risks are. It helps children and young people if there are activities for them to do, free transport and information about getting to the sea side. It also helps if they feel like they belong there. Friends and adults can help children feel like they belong by the sea by encouraging and helping children to go, but also by not discriminating against children when they are there. See this link for more info Listening to young people’s views of the coast:Living Coast Youth Voice.

• impact

  Local organisations have really listened to what we are saying and Nature England have told us that this is helping them think about how to involve children and young people more in decisions and planning about the environment.