HY5! is a group of young people who know what it’s like to have additional needs and disabilities and have a passion to be the voice of change.
The celebration, which was held at the Cherry Street Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) & Sensory Hub, was an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of HY5!, who were recently recognised at the SEND Programme’s Best Practice Awards 2025, sponsored by the NHS.
The awards recognised outstanding best practice in health for children and young people with SEND who are making a difference to drive change. HY5! won in the Children and Young Person Voice for Change category.
Mayor of Wolverhampton Councillor Linda Leach said: “It was a great pleasure to celebrate with HY5! on receiving this wonderful award. Here in Wolverhampton, we are very proud of HY5!, one of our many thriving youth forums.
"The group is for young people aged 11-25 with additional needs and disabilities and this award was in recognition of how they are influencing, shaping and improving services for children and young people with SEND in our city.”
Megan Baynham, chair of HY5!, said: “It’s an honour to be recognised for the work we all do to improve SEND in Wolverhampton. I feel it is a privilege to be a member of HY5!; I get to voice people's views and opinions and make sure children and young people with SEND in Wolverhampton are heard in relation to improvements to meet their needs and make more places accessible.
“It has inspired me to keep working hard with HY5! to deliver the inspiring training we have created for professionals to help them understand better the challenges that are faced daily to improve the services offered.”
Councillor Jacqui Coogan, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Education, added: "The HY5! forum is a further example of the excellent work the City of Wolverhampton Council does to ensure the voice of young people is at the heart of services that it provides."
To find out more about HY5! and other opportunities for children and young people to make a difference, please visit Yo! Wolves | Get Involved.
