Young people in Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Powys are being encouraged to ensure their voices are being heard on policing matters by applying to become members of PCC (Powys Police and Crime Commissioner) Dafydd Llywelyn’s Youth Forum.

The PCC is looking to recruit up to 20 youth forum members, aged between 14 and 25 years old, to join his Youth Forum to ensure that he has at least one member from each of the 14 Neighbourhood Policing Team areas in Dyfed-Powys.

The Forum was originally established by Police and Crime Commissioner Dafydd Llywelyn in 2018. Youth Forum members are known as Youth Ambassadors and represent the views of their peers within their youth group/society.

As well as taking part in discussions during Forum meetings, Youth Ambassadors consult with young people on the ground on topical Police and Crime issues, and report back on their opinion.

In 2021, current Youth Forum members worked with a media company to develop a video sharing young people’s experiences of police contact in Dyfed-Powys.

The video received high praise from then Children’s Commissioner, Sally Holland, and Dyfed-Powys Police, and is now being utilised as a learning resource by Dyfed-Powys Police’s Learning and Development department as part of their Police Officers’ training provision.

Mr Llywelyn wants to build on the work of the Forum to date, to ensure that Dyfed-Powys has a Forum of Youth Ambassadors who are ready to ‘influence’ and ‘challenge decision-making’, to ensure that the communities of Dyfed-Powys have a Police Force that successfully safeguard children and young people and promote their wellbeing.

Mr Llywelyn said: “I have always had a passion for building a strong relationship with young people and want to better understand what leads some young people to crime and disorder and how they can be helped to make positive choices in life.

“I want to ensure that each and every young person has a voice in the future of policing in Dyfed-Powys. I want to know what they feel should be our priorities? What impact does crime have on them and their community? What do we need to change?

“My Youth Ambassadors will represent the voices of young people from all backgrounds, and will support me with my scrutiny work by challenge decisions, provide recommendations, and influence change for the benefit of young people in our area.”

“I would urge young people from all backgrounds to download the details from our website, and get in touch for support if they wish to apply.”

As part of the recruitment campaign, Mr Llywelyn has launched a youth survey to better understand young people’s perception of policing in their area. The survey findings will help identify three priority areas for the Youth Forum to focus on for 2022/23.

He added: “Whether or not you are interested in becoming a member of the Youth Forum or not, I would encourage every young person to take the short survey, so that we can identify priorities for my forum to work with us on from September onwards on behalf of all young people in our area.”.

Closing date for applications is Monday, August 9.

Information can be downloaded from the Police and Crime Commissioner’s website.