Youth Commission present recommendations to the PCC, police and partners
A project to pilot voluntary night stewards so young people feel safer walking at night has been proposed by Lincolnshire’s ground-breaking Youth Commission.
The commission was established by the county’s Police and Crime Commissioner to give young people a voice in policing, crime and community safety issues.
The Youth Commission was first established in the summer of 2020 and is made up of 28 young people recruited from across the county aged between 14 and 25.
Last month, after engaging with more than 1,300 young people from across the county, the commissioners presented their final report to a group of nearly 100 senior police officers, senior council leaders and youth workers.
The report identified five key areas priorities for young people – mental health, hate crime, abusive relationships, night-time safety and relationship with the police and recommends a number of measures including:
- Appoint ‘Mental Health Ambassadors’ or ‘Mental Health First Aiders’ in the community and educational settings with a focus on supporting the various needs of all ages.
- Through Youth Commission workshops and social media, create space for young people to talk about Hate Crime, promoting awareness, education and highlight support services for young people.
- Ensure education on all types of abuse is delivered to young people from an early age and promote healthy relationships and highlight unacceptable, controlling or abusive behaviours.
- Work with partners to pilot voluntary night stewards being placed in higher populated areas of Lincolnshire to help young people feel safe walking alone in the dark and provide access to free rape alarms
- Work with the Police to promote ‘experience days’ such as ‘a day in the life of an officer’ allowing young people to see first-hand the positive work the Police do and help build positive relationships.
PCC Marc Jones praised the work of the commissioners and said he would continue to work with the members to ensure young people’s voices are heard.
“The work done by the members of the Youth Commission is remarkable for the commitment, dedication, creativity and practicality that has been brought to bear over many weeks.
“I have been genuinely impressed by the way the commissioners have engaged with 1,300 young people, listened to their hopes and fears and shaped these voices into a series of deliverable actions.
“The Youth Commission is not just a way of hearing the voices of younger residents who often don’t feel that their concerns are listened to. It will lead to a real and lasting change in the way policy is created and services are delivered. This must be just the start of the conversation.”
The project is run, on behalf of the PCC, by Leaders Unlocked - a not-for-profit specialist social enterprise that enables young people and under-represented groups to have a stronger voice on the issues that affect their lives.
Lincolnshire Youth Commission- Project Coordinator Claudia James said: “The members have worked consistently hard through two National lockdowns, creating and delivering engaging virtual workshops and online surveys to a diverse number of young people.
“The recommendations produced by this project offer some unique suggestions for tackling pertinent issues affecting young people. I am keen to see how the recommendation created by Lincolnshire Youth Commission can be taken forward and for the conversations to continue."
The full report from the Commission can be read here