News Release : 15 October 2004

SEEME.ORG.UK - NEW WEBSITE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE SOUTH EAST

A new website www.seeme.org.uk for young people about the South East has been launched today by the South East England Regional Assembly. The SEEME website informs the region’s teenagers about their environment, health, travelling, countryside, citizenship and how the Assembly’s work affects them.

Either after school, or in class as part of their citizenship studies, pupils can now check SEEME.org.uk (South East England and me) and use the information for essays, learn about their region and get more involved in civic affairs.

Key website features are:

• ‘Test your knowledge’ quiz on the South East region;
• Plan to be a good citizen? – Section on how young citizens can influence their own lives;
• National Curriculum pack on citizenship for students and teachers;
• Regular poll testing young people’s day-to-day concerns;
• ‘Get involved’ - Section on getting involved in issues that affect young people such as Local Democracy Week, UK Youth Parliament and the British Youth Council;
• BBC rolling news feed;
• Useful links such as the Children’s Rights Commissioner for England and the Hands Up For site about democracy and encouraging young people to participate in politics.

Additional features and resources will be added to the website over the coming year.

Councillor Nick Skellett, Chair of the South East England Regional Assembly said: “We are very pleased with this new website, which will help us engaging young people in our work. It is their future we are working on and we want to improve. As the regional planning body we want to help improve the quality of life for everyone; our SEEME.org.uk website provides young people with the chance to learn about the Assembly’s role and how they can input to our work. We hope that many will respond positively to our website, as we continue to extend it.”

Contact

Lesley van Dijk, PR Executive - 01483 555223

Alistair Moses, PR Executive - 01483 555221

Notes to editors:

1. The South East England Regional Assembly organises citizenship days for secondary schools, helping students understand how business and political decisions can affect local communities. Topics covered include planning, business finance, marketing and fair-trading. If you are interested in finding out more about the day you can download a student pack (PDF document) here. Why not see if your school would be interested in holding a Citizenship Day? Access to the teacher pack (PDF document) is by password only, and teachers get a password by contacting the Regional Assembly communications team by email or in writing at Berkeley House, Cross Lanes, Guildford, Surrey, GU1 1UN.
2. The Regional Assembly is the “voluntary regional chamber” for the South East. It was established in January 1999 to give a representative voice to the South East region which covers Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East and West Sussex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire, and Surrey.
3. The Assembly is made up of 111 members including elected councillors nominated by the region’s local authorities and 37 representatives from other sectors of the community (including business, trades unions, education, housing, health, sports, culture, tourism, faith groups, environmental, community and voluntary organisations).
4. The Assembly has three areas of core business:
1. It is the representative voice of the South East, engaging and representing its member organisations and, through them, the wider public.
2. The Assembly has a specific role under the Regional Development Agencies' Act 1998 to ensure the accountability of the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) to the region.
3. The Assembly has been the Regional Planning Body for the South East since April 2001. It has responsibility for proposing strategic planning and transport policies to Government.

Last updated: 21 August 2007