GO! Southampton helps ensure city is safe and welcoming for future generations

It has recently been announced that Southampton would be joining forces with the world-renowned charity and will see councillors, staff and local organisations work together to ensure the local area is as safe and welcoming for children as it can be.

Rebecca Handley, GO! Southampton’s Deputy Executive Director has been appointed as a Child-Friendly City Ambassador and says that the collective action will enhance the city centre experience, improve perceptions of the city, and shape the centre for future generations.

She said: “GO! Southampton has an ambition for Southampton to be an inclusive city which is welcoming and open to all. As we work together, we can overcome barriers that hinder and impact young people’s experiences within the city. 

“I’m delighted to be a part of something that will be a real positive catalyst for change here. We only get one childhood so let’s make sure it’s the best it can be for young people in the area.”

The ambitious three to five-year partnership will focus on children’s rights – as set out in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child – to guide decisions that affect children and young people in Southampton.

Rebecca added: “Children and young people are active users of the city centre and along with their families are key customers of the city centre businesses. 

“By understanding young people’s needs, we can make sure we have a strategy and programme of activities to support children now and in the future. It’s fantastic to be working with UNICEF on this.”

The Child Friendly Cities Initiative (CFCI) is a UNICEF-led initiative that supports municipal governments in realising the rights of children at the local level using the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child as its foundation.

Read more about Child Friendly Southampton at: www.southampton.gov.uk/people-places/child-friendly-southampton/