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Jo Coles - York and North Yorkshire Deputy Mayor for Policing, Fire and Crime

Jo Coles - North Yorkshire Deputy Mayor for Policing, Fire and Crime

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Our Priorities

Priorities set by the Youth Commission for 2024

Online Safety

  • Explore the impact of social media on mental health and promote
    appropriate support services.
  • Raise awareness of the laws surrounding online crime and victims’ rights, particularly around explicit images and image-based sexual abuse.
  • Research young people’s experiences with artificial intelligence and the possible negative impacts of new technology.
  • Work with the OPFCC and partners to assist authorities in engaging more effectively with young people online.

Drugs and County Lines

  • Voice to authorities the importance of drug and county lines education at an earlier age.
  • Explore young people’s understanding of county lines, and what related support they need from authorities.
  • Raise awareness of both the long and short-term impacts of county lines involvement. Include lived experience voices in our discussions.
  • Understand young people’s opinions and experiences of vaping, and work with police and authorities to tackle underage use through education.

Gender Violence and Safer Streets

  • Continue to educate the OPFCC, police, and partners on young people’s experience of gender violence.
  • In partnership with the OPFCC & NYP, promote a non-victim blaming approach throughout conversations on gender violence. Explore how language impacts outcomes for victims.
  • Explore the negative impacts and mental health implications of gender violence on all gender identities.
  • Raise awareness of how to report gender violence and learn what barriers prevent young people from reporting.

Youth Rights and Police Respect

  • Act as Ambassadors to support police and young people in building new, positive relationships by emphasising the importance of respect and communication from both sides.
  • Listen to young people’s experiences of being stopped by police and raise awareness of Stop and Search rights within the Big Conversation.
  • Work with police and authorities to ensure young people’s right to protest is well protected and that young people are able to remain safe while protesting. Explore experiences surrounding this.
  • Understand the support needs of young people who are impacted by family and friends’ involvement with police and the justice system.

Healthy Relationships

  • Raise awareness of unhealthy relationship warning signs.
  • Research what support young people feel is most needed to escape an unhealthy relationship.
  • Discuss with young people the various types of unhealthy and abusive relationships beyond romantic relationships.
  • Work with police and partners to ensure young people in abusive relationships are taken seriously, given appropriate support, and are recognised as victims in their own right.
  • Explore the mental health impacts of all types of unhealthy relationships on young people.

Inclusivity

  • Alongside the OPFCC and partners, develop a Youth Commission Campaign to promote messages of acceptance and inclusion.
  • Investigate the impact of discrimination and hate crime on underrepresented groups’ trust in police.
  • Highlight to young people, the law surrounding hate crime and discrimination, and promote reporting.
  • Research how young people’s mental health is affected by discrimination and what can be done to tackle this.

 

Download the Youth Commissions Priority Aims 2024 :

Download the Youth Commissions Postcard: