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  • Agenda item
  • Agenda item

    Proposals for youth engagement following departure of Youth Commissioner

    Minutes:

    1.            The Commissioner introduced her report on proposals for youth engagement, explaining that the Youth Commissioner had finished her contract in February 2015.  The Commissioner praised the Youth Commissioner, stating that she had done very well in the role despite some of the adverse circumstances.  The Commissioner stated that she was pleased that the youth commissioner role had been created as it was a manifesto promise and that she remained committed to ensuring greater involvement for young people.  She accepted that the approach to youth engagement had to change, stating that while youth commissioners worked in concept, the position placed a single young person in a position facing too much pressure and public exposure.

     

    2.            The Commissioner explained that to identify appropriate alternative youth engagement models, a workshop had been held with key partners from around the County including youth engagement charities, elected councillors, youth service users, youth parliament representatives and professional youth workers.  The outcome of the workshop had informed the Commissioner’s decision to set up a Youth Advisory Group (YAG).  This group would feature representation from existing youth forums across the county to ensure the focus is on the views of young people.  The money previously used to fund the Youth Commissioner post would be ring-fenced for use by the YAG for commissioned work.

     

    3.            The Commissioner noted that the Portsmouth University research conducted in 2014 evidenced the need for additional work to understand the needs of victims of crime.  This was important as a significant proportion of victims of crime were under 25 and that she hoped that the new proposed model of youth engagement would be effective in capturing their views, concerns and experiences.

     

    4.            The Commissioner praised the report delivered by the Youth Commissioner as an example of practical benefit to actively listening to the views of young people.  The Commissioner explained that she had already included several of the report’s recommendations in her Police and Crime Plan for 2015/16 though it had to be accepted that some of the recommendations were too resource intensive in the current financial situation.

     

    5.            The Chairman commented that the Panel had always been supportive of the Commissioner’s commitment to engaging with Young People but that they had been wary of the Youth Commissioner approach.  He added that he was pleased that the Commissioner would continue assessing appropriate youth engagement through interactions with existing forums as well her new YAG.

     

    6.            Responding to comments from the Panel, the Commissioner explained that she had opted to set up new youth engagement forums rather than attend existing ones because she wanted to encourage greater collaboration between the various groups.  The Commissioner was aware of the positive contribution made by Members of the various groups such as District Youth Advisory Groups and the Youth Parliaments and she was keen to ensure that they were represented at her YAG meetings. 

     

    7.            The Panel discussed the past issues related to the Youth Commissioner and how they had been addressed, including consideration of advice or comments made by the Panel at previous meetings and whether the appointment of a second YCC had been the best option.  Members exchanged varying views on the historic options around Youth Engagement but the Panel agreed that the latest Youth Commissioner had done excellent work; including her recently published Youth Engagement Report and that she should be commended.

     

    8.            The Panel cautioned the Commissioner against the risk of only engaging with civically active and involved young people, missing out of building links with disaffected and marginalised sections of the community who would be at greater risk of being involved in crime and anti-social behaviour.  The Panel highlighted certain groups within the community that they felt should be engaged with including the Gypsy and Traveller community, those coping with homelessness and those from new communities.  Panel Members offered to provide the Commissioner with details of relevant charities and support workers in districts that could assist in achieving broad representation.

     

    9.            The Commissioner thanked the Panel for the offers of support and assistance, explaining that she was keen to ensure the new approach to youth engagement would be holistic in nature with the capacity to fund additional commissioned work to work with a wider selection of the community.

    RESOLVED that the Panel support the Commissioner’s Youth Advisory Group model of youth engagement and that the Commissioner be asked to provide the Panel with an update in early 2016.

     

    Supporting documents: