North Yorkshire Youth Commission deliver latest report
The North Yorkshire Youth Commission has delivered a report on its work to the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner.
Five years after being set up to ensure the views of young people were heard on policing and crime, it gives an in-depth insight into the work that’s been done, the priorities put forward and the progress made to achieving them.
Julia Mulligan set up and funded the Youth Commission in 2015. It’s made up of 35 young people aged between 14 and 25 and from across North Yorkshire and York.
The report focuses on these key areas:
- Mental Health & Vulnerable Young People
- Abusive Relationships
- Hate Crime
- Drugs & Alcohol Abuse
- Relationship with the and Police and Authorities
- Missing Young People & Exploitation
As well as assessing the work done on these, it puts forward recommendations for the Police, Commissioner and partners to address the challenges found.
It also reports back on campaigns which the Youth Commission has run, including the successful KYMSGAME project – a conversation focused around Keeping Your Mates Safe. This produced a competitive game about risk which looks at young people’s responses to risky situations.
Click here to read the full report >>
Julia Mulligan is thanking the North Yorkshire Youth Commission for their in-depth insight delivered in the report. The Commissioner said:
“I set up the Youth Commission in 2015 to ensure the priorities of young people were better understood by the police.
“It is really good to see the very positive impact the Commission has had, both on the way the police work with young people, and the benefits to young people themselves through their involvement with the Commission. I am immensely proud of their work – they have made a real difference. It’s also clear that over the years, the Commission has developed, involving literally thousands of young people, showing how important it is to listen and learn from their experiences and to share that learning widely with other young people.
“The most important thing about the Youth Commission’s approach is that it is peer-to-peer. It is all about young people working with their friends and their mates to keep safe. One great example of how they are making a difference is KYMSGAME, which is all about Keeping Your Mates Safe. I’ll be watching closely to see how the Youth Commission’s work develops in the future and it will always have my full support.”
North Yorkshire Police Chief Constable Lisa Winward said:
“What a fantastic opportunity the Youth Commission have created to take priority subjects and do something meaningful, proactive and positive with them in KYMSGAME. The Youth Commission has created something very special for young people to immerse themselves in the experience of thinking and feeling about some of those key issues. I think this can go from strength to strength.
“Things that affect young people in their lives have a huge impact on the wellbeing of everybody in society. You absolutely have our support as this work continues and grows into the future for the greater good of society.”
Katie Yates, from the Youth Commission, said:
“It is fundamental that young people influence the Commissioner and the Police as it is the young people that will be heading those services in years to come. Often the voices of young people are undervalued but in reality no one knows the life of a young person better than a young person themself.
“So, by having their voices heard it means that services can be made better for young people and they feel valued. A huge strength of the Youth Commission approach is it provides a platform for the young voices to be heard by those in high positions and also by those of a similar age. The message can be valued much more by young people when it comes from somebody like them”
Speaking about the KYMSGAME project, Georgia Morgan, from the Youth Commission, said:
“KYMSGAME has allowed us as a Youth Commission to interact with young people in our area on our key priorities. It’s very informative and allows our peers to fully immerse themselves into a scenario, so they can understand how much difference they can make by looking out for their mates.
“It is peer to peer, it’s not a lecture, it’s a discussion, it’s not about telling you what to do, it’s about asking questions. I think the peer to peer game not only helps them engage more, but helps them talk to their friends about similar issues away from the game.”