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27 October, 2016

Teenage carer Beth helps young people have their say on hate crime in North Yorkshire

Teenage carer Beth Doughty led a special event organised by North Yorkshire Youth Commission to get young people’s views on hate crime.

The consultation was part of an initiative by North Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner Julia Mulligan to get the views of more than 1,500 young people across the county about various aspects of crime– including how it should be tackled.

Beth, aged 16, of Selby, cares for her profoundly disabled younger sister Mollyann, aged 10, and knows what it is liked to be singled out on the basis of her sister’s disability.

As a member of North Yorkshire Youth Commission, she helped lead the workshop at Selby College – where she herself is a student – to find out the views and opinions of fellow students.

“Hate crime is about being picked on in some way simply because you are different,” said Beth.

“It could be because of race, gender, sexuality or something else. But it’s something that I feel I’ve experienced first-hand.”

The students shared their own experiences and understanding of hate crime and also gave their ideas for what should be done to tackle it.

The Youth Commission was set up in July 2015 and includes 30 members aged 14 to 25 from across the county who are focussing on six key areas of policing and crime:

  • Preventing youth crime
  • Young people’s relationship with the police
  • Vulnerable young people
  • Cyber-bullying and internet safety
  • Legal highs and drug abuse, and
  • Hate crime.

By next month, they will have completed a comprehensive report detailing young people’s views. They will present this to both Julia Mulligan as well as representatives of North Yorkshire Police.

Julia Mulligan said:

“The Youth Commission has been doing very valuable work engaging with young people across North Yorkshire and finding out the issues that concern them most and how they think key areas of policing need to be tackled.

“The workshop at Selby College is one of many that have run in every corner of North Yorkshire and I am looking forward to getting their full report in the next few weeks as I believe it will make a very valuable contribution.”

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Beth is pictured with, back row, from left to right, James Beevers, Will Orne and Megan Williamson, and front row from left to right, Lucy Thomas, Ellen Cooper, Olivia Wragg, Isaac Bliss, Jack Theakstone and Ashley Whitely.

Find out more about the North Yorkshire Youth Commission on Police and Crime

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