New youth commission members meet for the first time

The newest members of the Wiltshire and Swindon Youth Commission have met for the first time in Trowbridge to discuss their goals to influence and improve the service Wiltshire Police delivers to young people.

The commission was set up in 2021 to talk about policing, crime and community safety themes which matter most to young people in the county and to feed back to the Police and Crime Commissioner and Wiltshire Police, the ways in which they think the issues could be handled more effectively.

Around forty-five 11-25 year olds have signed up to the commission, the largest cohort of young commissioners since the project started, and they will embark on a three year project to get a better understanding of policing and community safety, listen to the views of their peers, and propose possible solutions to improve the experiences of people living in Wiltshire and Swindon.

Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Wilkinson said:

"The work of the Youth Commission will influence the work my office does and that of Wiltshire Police.

"So far, their role in shaping the future of Wiltshire Police has been pivotal and cannot be underestimated in ensuring that the force is much better able to connect and communicate positively with young people and children from as many different backgrounds as possible.

"I look forward to seeing how this new group evolves and brings forward exciting new perspectives we can all learn from."

At the Youth Commission boot camp at Trowbridge's Civic Centre, the young commissioners took part in a range of team building exercises before talking about the challenges young people face on a daily basis.

The contract for the Youth Commission has been taken over by Participation People, an organisation based in Devizes which facilitates youth voice programmes across the UK.

Annabel Hughes is the project leader for the Wiltshire and Swindon Youth Commission:

"We are delighted to be working with the Police and Crime Commissioner on this project.

"Bringing youth influence into police practices in the local community is such an exciting initiative, and we are looking forward to facilitating this journey.

"We’ve been recruiting at college fairs, outreach with organisations such as Neighbourhood Watch and Mighty Girls, along with utilising our socials and wider network."

The next meeting of the Youth Commission in December will see them join officers from Wiltshire Police for a fact finding and myth busting session based on policing.

Published Friday 15 November 2024