Health And Welfare Advice Provided To Thousands Of Young People

Over 5,700 young people received health and welfare advice from a group of organisations that were at the Young People’s Village during this year’s Royal Welsh Show, it has been revealed. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Powys Health and Welfare team came into contact 5,744 young people during the whole week the show took place – a staggering 83% increase in numbers from 2015 when 3,083 visited the team. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

It was the eighth year that the welfare team were involved in the village, which saw them hand out six litres of sunscreen and enough bottled water to fill up a swimming pool. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The multi-agency team included Powys County Council services such as the youth service, school nurse service and the road safety team. Dyfed Powys Police, Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service, Xenzone online counselling service and CAIS, the Young Persons’ Substance Misuse Service, made up the team this year. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Not only did the team provide water and sunscreen, it also provided information to young people around health, drinking and keeping safe during the whole week of the show. A number of afternoon activities also took place and a ‘chill out’ tent was provide in case young people wanted somewhere quiet. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The team had over 400 young people come in for driving advice around speed, drugs, mobiles and seatbelts as well as breathalyser tests, provided by the police, just to be sure that they were legal to drive before they made their journeys home. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Graham Brown, Cabinet Member for Youth Services, said: “I would like to thank all the staff that were on duty and provided this important service to the young people during Royal Welsh Show week. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“To provide welfare advice to over 5,700 young people has its challenges but the team made it possible and ensured that the young people had access to important advice during their stay. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“This is a great example of agencies working together to support the health and welfare needs of young people who were at this village this year.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​