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26 August, 2016

Harrogate students to play a part in shaping the future of policing in North Yorkshire

These Harrogate students are five of the recruits to this year’s North Yorkshire Youth Commission, they all joined the Youth Commission as a way of helping shape the way the police tackle issues affecting young people.

Pictured from left to right are: Kirk, aged 17, and Imogen Hannaby, aged 17, both of St Aidan’s School, Matilda Williams, aged 16, of St John Fisher’s, Edward Lee, aged 16, of Harrogate Grammar School  and Kai Atkinson, aged 17, of Rossett High School.

The Youth Commission is funded by North Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner Julia Mulligan. It is made up of 36 volunteers aged 14 to 25 who will carry out a major consultation exercise in events at colleges, youth clubs and other venues across the county in order to gather the views of more than 1,500 young people.

The issues they have decided to discuss are:

  • Hate crime
  • Abusive relationships
  • Drug and alcohol abuse
  • Vulnerability and mental health
  • Relationships with the police
  • Young people missing from home and at risk of exploitation.

Kirk said: “The world of young people is changing and it’s important that it gets talked about and is understood. With the Youth Commission, young people can work with the police to help them to understand our problems which are so different from the ones they probably faced as young people.”

Kai said: “Young people need a voice because the worlds looks a very different place from a young person’s perspective and organisations like the police need to have a proper understanding of that.”

Police and crime commissioner for North Yorkshire Julia Mulligan said:  “I instigated the Youth Commission because it was clear from my work in drawing up the Police and Crime Plan that the views of children and young people were not being heard as they should be. The members of the Commission are all volunteers and I thank them wholeheartedly for getting behind this project with so much enthusiasm.

“This is the second year of the Commission in North Yorkshire and we are already seeing its emerging influence within North Yorkshire Police with its members giving talks about youth issues to new recruits and influencing the force’s approach in a range of ways.

“I’m thankful for their time, energy and commitment and look forward to another year of reaching out to engage with hundreds more young people on policing issues.”

Find out more about the Youth Commission: