Caerphilly Youth Forum Impress At Cabinet

Young people from Caerphilly Youth Forum recently met Caerphilly County Borough Council’s Cabinet Members to outline their priorities for the forthcoming year. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Chair of the Caerphilly Youth Forum Matthew Diggle, and fellow members Charlotte Thomas and Emily Jones came along to a recent meeting of Cabinet to discuss the Youth Forum and Junior Forum’s priorities for the forthcoming year – and to see whether they could count on Cabinet’s support in working to achieve their priorities. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Youth Forum members highlighted their chosen priority as being raising awareness of mental health among young people and challenging stereotypes around this important issue. The issue was chosen at their annual Youth Forum conference, and was one of five themes voted on by over 1,100 young people aged between 11 and 25 from across Caerphilly county borough. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

At Cabinet, Matthew, Charlotte and Emily highlighted some of the work the young people have carried out since they chose this as their priority issue in October. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Forum have worked on producing a leaflet which outlines support available to young people, which will be available in schools, libraries and youth clubs. They are also currently working on a theatre production alongside Taking Flight Theatre Company focussing on their priority issue, which will be performed at the Newbridge Memo later this month. In addition, the young people are working on producing a song and a digital media campaign, and are also receiving training on mental health first aid – which they hope will also be offered as an accredited course in schools and youth facilities. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Members of the Youth Forum also outlined the Junior Forum’s priority action – that is, raising awareness of local wildlife and the harm grass fires cause to natural habitats. The Junior Forum is comprised of children aged between 7 and 11. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The young people attended Cabinet to seek support from Cabinet in helping to address their priority issues, and for them to give due regard to the issues raised by children and young people when making decisions which impact upon their lives. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cabinet Member Cllr Derek Havard praised the young people for their professional delivery of their presentation, saying ‘This very articulate, well put together presentation really helped us to understand the issues that are affecting young people in our area. It goes without saying that we were all unanimous in our support of the young people and are committed to helping them to raise awareness and achieve their priority actions in all ways that we are able”. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr David Poole, the council’s Deputy Leader who chaired the Cabinet meeting added, “I am always amazed by how mature our young people’s views are on issues that matter most to them. We continue to have a very strong relationship with the Caerphilly Youth Forum, whose views are crucial to us in our decision making process – and long may that continue”. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​