Plymouth Youth Council members take over Children’s Commissioner's office for the day

Children all over the country are taking over top jobs today as part of National Takeover Day 2013.

Two members of Plymouth’s Youth Cabinet have travelled to London to work in the Office of the Children’s Commissioner, Dr Maggie Atkinson, for the day.

Lucy Fowell, 15, from Notre Dame and Sally-Anne Yeomans, 15, from Sir John Hunt have taken over the role of a member of staff and joining the newsroom where young people will be responsible for creating a special edition of the Takeover Day newsletter and tweeting about the day.

Both girls are really thrilled to be involved and working in London. Lucy says: “This is such a fantastic opportunity.”

The Children’s Commissioner Takeover Day gives young people the chance to work with adults for the day and be involved in decision-making. Children benefit from the opportunity to experience the world of work and make their voices heard, while adults and organisations gain a fresh perspective on what they do. The hope is to break down barriers between generations and encourage children's active involvement in their communities.

Other Plymouth youngsters are stepping into the shoes of their youth workers and taking over the running of some of Plymouth City Council’s youth centres to find out what the adult world of work is like.

Councillor Nicky Williams, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said: “National Takeover Day is a chance for young people to experience life in the adult world, and influence decisions that ultimately affect them. Initiatives like this serve to remind us who we are working to help and support – we’ve got to listen to young people to be good at our jobs.”

For more information about National Takeover Day visit www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/takeover_day