Julia Mulligan announces further funding for the Youth Commission on Police and Crime for North Yorkshire
Funding for the Youth Commission on Police and Crime for North Yorkshire will be extended for another two years to enable the Commission to further explore the findings outlined in their final report, which was published today (13 June 2016).
The Youth Commission, piloted in July 2015, was funded through the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Community Fund, to enable young people aged between 14 and 25 to support, challenge and inform the work of the Police and Crime Commissioner and North Yorkshire Police.
The Youth Commission goes beyond traditional models of consultation, it is driven by young people and allows them to put forward solutions to the problems they identify in their own communities.
A key part of the Youth Commission’s role was to run a ‘Big Conversation’ to gather the views of at least 1,500 other young people. This process created a safe environment for young people to talk to their peers about their issues. The views gathered from young people were then used by the Youth Commission to create a set of recommendations to present back to the Commissioner, North Yorkshire Police and partner agencies.
The six chosen priorities for the year have been:
- Legal Highs and Drug Abuse
- Cyber-bullying and Internet Safety
- Hate Crime
- Vulnerable Young People
- Preventing Youth Crime
- Relationship with the Police
The final report, which was published today, is grounded in an evidence base of over 1,600 conversations with young people. It is structured into six key sections that outline what the Youth Commission has found about each of its priority issues. Each section features a comprehensive analysis of young people’s responses, quotes from individual respondents and the key recommendations that have been put forward by the Youth Commission as a result of their findings.
The report is also a reflection of the feedback given to Police and Crime Commissioner Julia Mulligan, North Yorkshire Police’s deputy chief constable Tim Madgwick and senior managers from partners throughout North Yorkshire at the Youth Commission’s Big Conversation conference held in January.
Julia Mulligan, Police and Crime Commissioner said:
“When I met the Youth Commission members at the “Big Conversation” I was inspired by their enthusiasm and the work they’ve completed, it’s invaluable and allows us to look through the eyes of young people to gain a better understanding of their concerns and how they feel the police could help and support them.
“From my work in drawing up the North Yorkshire Police and Crime Plan, 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 want to thank them wholeheartedly for the great job they have done in developing this report which reflects the views of so many young people.
“The Commission’s report is a first for North Yorkshire. Never before have we heard the views of over 1,600 young people in relation to policing and personal safety. As a consequence, North Yorkshire Police’s strategy for young people will be reviewed and updated. The report also comes at a very pertinent time, when the police are preparing to increase the money dedicated to protecting children and vulnerable people.
“This means North Yorkshire Police will have more resources available to act on the recommendations made by the Commission, which I fully expect them to do so.”
Superintendent Richard Anderson of North Yorkshire Police said: “The work of the Youth Commission is greatly appreciated by North Yorkshire Police. The teenagers and young adults involved are playing their part in shaping the police service with the younger generations in mind. It is also a fantastic opportunity for North Yorkshire Police to engage with a range of young people who clearly care about their communities and want to make a real difference.”
The project was delivered by social enterprise ‘Leaders Unlocked’, who help organisations to engage effectively with young people and under-served groups to drive greater accountability and fairness through adopting new ways of working with the communities they service.
Commenting on the extension of the Youth Commission’s funding, Rose Dowling, Director at Leaders Unlocked said:
“Leaders Unlocked is delighted to be working with Police and Crime Commissioner and North Yorkshire Police on this important programme which will give young people across North Yorkshire the opportunity to shape the future of policing and crime prevention in the region.
“We will be recruiting up to 20 new Youth Commissioners and providing them with the training and tools they need to engage their peers and work in a professional manner with NYP to implement real changes.”
Some of the Youth Commission’s recommendations outlined in report include:
- North Yorkshire Police should make sure young people can get to know their local officers and PCSOs better by name.
- North Yorkshire Police should make it a priority to present a positive face when engaging with young people.
- More must be done to ensure that young people know their rights in relation to stop and search.
- The Youth Commission should continue to hear young people’s views on North Yorkshire Police.