Our Priorities
Priorities set by the Youth Commission
Hate Crime
Our aims:
- Promote understanding of hate crime definitions and consequences.
- Consult with young people with personal experiences of hate crime and those who have reported it.
- Work with police and agencies to encourage more victims to come forward.
- Understand how the internet can be used effectively to tackle hate crime.
The Relationship between Young People, Police & Authorities
Our aims:
- Advise the police on how to engage effectively with young people and prevent youth crime.
- Gather the views and experiences of young people and feed them back to the police.
- Support the training and development of police officers and PCSOs.
Mental Health & Vulnerable Young People
Our aims:
- Raise awareness and tackle the stigma around mental health.
- Show young people how to recognise the signs, seek help and support peers.
- Help the police and agencies to respond effectively with young people in vulnerable situations.
Abusive Relationships
Our aims:
- Raise awareness of the different types of abusive relationships and challenge misconceptions.
- Find out how much young people know and where they would go for help.
- Explore how to improve the police response and support for victims.
- Address a wide range of different types of abuse including cyber-bullying & honour-based violence.
Drug and Alcohol Abuse
Our aims:
- Understand the root causes and how these can be addressed.
- Raise awareness of causes and effects through peer campaigns with older and younger years.
- Work with the police to reduce the availability of and harm caused by drugs and alcohol.
- Continue to explore and address the issue of New Pyschoactive Substances (previously known as legal highs).
Missing Young People and Exploitation
Our aims:
- Listen to the views of young people who are homeless and living in care.
- Collect stories of young people who go missing and give them a voice.
- Raise awareness and tackle stereotypes towards these young people.
- Inform police training and empathy in relation to missing young people.
