Our Priorities
Priorities set by the Youth Commission
On this page
Discrimination
OUR AIMS
- Explore the impacts of discrimination and unconscious bias within the police and authorities on young people, with a particular focus on marginalised and underrepresented groups.
- Raise awareness of hate crime, mate crime, and the discrimination faced by young people, with a particular focus on marginalised and underrepresented groups.
- Encourage both victims and witnesses of discrimination and hate crime to report their experiences to Police or independent reporting centres.
- Work directly with, and share the voice of, young people with lived experience of discrimination to support and empower others.
Online Safety
OUR AIMS
- Raise awareness of the various forms of exploitation and risks young people are exposed to online and the impact this can have.
- Investigate and increase awareness of the dangers of misinformation online, and how young people can spot, and protect themselves from it.
- Work with partner organisations to develop an online safety campaign.
- Highlight the true harms of online crime and promote the importance of reporting to police or independent reporting mechanisms. And promote appropriate support services.
Relationships with Police and Authorities
OUR AIMS
- Act as Ambassadors to support police and young people in building new, positive relationships, and break down negative stereotypes on both sides.
- Raise awareness of stop and search rights amongst young people and scrutinise North Yorkshire Police’s use of stop and search and use of force.
- Campaign for better support and more opportunities for young people with experience of the police or criminal justice system.
- Represent the voice of young people to NYP and NYFRS and investigate the treatment of young people by authorities.
Drugs, Gangs and County Lines
OUR AIMS
- Highlight and promote the voice of young people with lived experience of drug abuse, gangs, or county lines to support others.
- Promote harm reduction approaches on the topic of drug use amongst young people, and work with partner organisations to improve education on the impacts of drug use.
- Encourage police and partners to offer more diversion away from gangs and county lines, and better support for young people escaping the cycle.
- Raise awareness of the impact of county lines and gang exploitation amongst young people.
Mental Health and Wellbeing
OUR AIMS
- Reduce the stigma and stereotypes still surrounding mental health and promote positive mental wellbeing.
- Start open, non-judgmental conversations with young people about their experiences of mental health.
- Raise awareness of support services available to young people, including non-referral-based support and how to access them.
- Investigate the mental health support available for young people in the criminal justice system, particularly on release from custody.
Gender Violence and Safer Streets
OUR AIMS
- Investigate and voice young people’s experience of spiking, harassment, and violence in public spaces, including views on police and authorities’ responses.
- Educate the OPFCC and partners on young people’s experience of gender violence.
- Challenge ‘lad culture’ and other environments that accept and minimize the impacts of VAWG.
- Ensure a non-victim blaming approach throughout conversations on women and girls’ safety.
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