Young Employee Network (YEN): Kirklees Council

Kirklees Council’s Young Employee Network (YEN) provides a platform for young employees to connect, influence and develop. The network continues to grow, with a focus on engagement, wellbeing and creating opportunities for young staff to have their voices heard.

The network currently has 157 members on its mailing list, supported by 30 dedicated champions (managers and colleagues aged 31+ who actively support the network and its development).

We also work closely with other employee networks across Kirklees Council, collaborating on events, volunteering and engagement activity. This is driven by a shared focus on inclusion and intersectionality, helping us create a more joined-up and accessible offer for colleagues across the organisation.

The YEN Awards remain a key highlight of the year, celebrating the contributions of young employees across the council.

• YEN award nominations
• Nearly 200 attendees (173 confirmed attendees)

Feedback from the event highlighted how much people valued hearing directly from YEN leads, reflecting on what has been achieved over the past 12 months, and celebrating the difference young employees are making across the organisation.

Creating opportunities to connect

We’ve run several socials to give members the opportunity to connect with other young employees across the council – from axe throwing, to meals, to bowling, to going for drinks after work, there’s been something for everyone.

Through our Annual Political Awareness Workshops (PAWs), we create opportunities for young employees to better understand how the council operates and how decisions are made, as well as how their roles contribute to wider organisational priorities.

These sessions bring together colleagues from across the council with elected members, giving them the chance to ask questions, build confidence and gain insight into local decision-making. We were very grateful to Cllrs Crooke and Taylor for taking time out of their very busy schedules to speak to our young employees and help to contextualise their learning.

Supporting wellbeing

A wellbeing and volunteering day at Eden’s Forest in Honley gave members the opportunity to connect with nature, support a local community project, and take part in activities that promote positive mental health and team bonding.

Alongside this, we’ve delivered a range of wellbeing-focused Tea ‘n’ Talk sessions, creating open and supportive spaces for learning and discussion. This has included sessions with Change Grow Live on drugs and alcohol, and a pensions session with the Pensions Team to help colleagues better understand financial wellbeing and the benefits available to them.

Community impact and volunteering

YEN have supported an annual charity each year, we run fundraising opportunities such as completing the Marsden 3 Peaks Walk whereby YEN and other colleagues walked 17.5km raising £1,000 for a local mental heath charity, and do an annual bake sale at our YEN Awards. We have also spent time at a local community organisation, supporting them with the creation of a Children’s Mud Kitchen and clearing their forest floor for the summer period. YEN have also utilised the Council’s Employee Supported Volunteering system, running events in partnership with the Green Employee Network and the Recycling Team (The Great British Spring Clean) and the Parks and Greenspaces Service (Annual Local Democracy week Environmental Volunteering).

Listening and improving

We actively collect and analyse feedback from members and council employees to shape our work and ensure it reflects what young employees want and need.

This has led to tangible changes, including the introduction of a new “Young Leader of the Year” award category, developed in direct response to feedback from previous YEN Awards.

Communication and accessibility

We actively communicate, inform and engage with our network members often via email, teams and our social media pages. Revamping our social media pages is something we have done recently, posting more often, and using this to reach more colleagues. Quarterly newsletters are sent out to members to share what’s been happening, any achievements and to inform them of any upcoming events or opportunities. We’ve also taken the time to make sure everything is accessible, through updating our branding and improving how we share information with each other.

For more information or to discuss the project, please contact: [email protected]