18 Dec 2018
Dyfed-Powys Police and Crime Commissioner, Dafydd Llywelyn, has launched his first ever Youth Forum during a special event held at Canolfan S4C Yr Egin, Carmarthen.
The Commissioner’s Youth Forum for policing and crime was officially launched on Thursday 13 December and underlines the Commissioner’s commitment to listening to the voice of young people. The Forum consists of Youth Ambassadors who are aged 11-18 and represent a range of community youth groups and organisations from across Dyfed-Powys.
Following the launch event, Police and Crime Commissioner, Dafydd Llywelyn, said:
“The launch of my Youth Forum marks an exciting development in the way in which I am listening to the voice of young people. I am eager to build relationships with existing youth groups, youth councils and forums across the region, many of which were represented at the launch, so that they can inform my decisions in relation to policing and crime. I’m also developing new methods to reach the hard to reach.
I’m excited to announce that we have newly-elected members of the Welsh Youth Parliament represented on my Forum, and I have already started discussions with the Senedd in Cardiff on ways for my Youth Ambassadors to feed into the work of the Welsh Youth Parliament and vice versa. I’m very grateful to my Youth Ambassadors for volunteering their time, and I look forward to seeing the Youth Forum develop over the next few months.”
Temporary Deputy Chief Constable Richard Lewis said: “It was a pleasure to be at the launch of the first ever Youth Forum. We’re really excited about this development which will help us engage with a group which are known to be one of our hard to reach groups. It’s really important that young people have a voice in policing and crime, and the forum will provide us with valuable insights from the Youth Ambassadors.”
The launch of the Youth Forum was also an opportunity to premiere a short film created by Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru and Travelling Ahead’s West Wales Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Youth Forum, which was created as part of National Hate Crime Awareness Week 2018. The work, commissioned by Dafydd Llywelyn via Welsh Government funding, was the result of a series of workshops which explored the concept of community, love and a sense of belonging.
Denise Barry from Travelling Ahead said:
“Our young people have thoroughly enjoyed the process of working with Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru through the Police and Crime Commissioner, to explore such complex issues in a dynamic way. They are now also delighted to become Youth Ambassadors for the Gypsy Traveller and Roma community on the Commissioner’s Youth Forum.”
If your youth group or organisation would like to hear more about the Commissioner’s Youth Forum, please contact his office on 01267 226 440 or email opcc@dyfed-powys.pnn.police.uk.
Ends
Notes to Editors
To view the short film created by Travelling Ahead Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Youth Forum: https://vimeo.com/305764080/e86ca27c3b
Hate Crime Awareness Week 2018: https://www.stophateuk.org/hate-crime-awareness-week/
