[T]his week Central Academy has been working with Young Cumbria to launch the Cumbria Youth Commission.
Representatives from Young Cumbria have been visiting the Academy to speak to students to raise awareness of the Cumbria Youth Commission and to get students to think about the Police and how they can make a change to help resolve issues in the community.
Lynsey Crosthwaite from Young Cumbria said: “The Cumbria Youth Commission provides young people in Cumbria with a unique opportunity to work alongside the Police and Crime Commissioner, allowing them to jointly address issues important to them. This excellent and innovative programme enables the young people to be involved in producing and developing solutions they feel will best meet their needs. Additionally, through involvement the young people will have a springboard to develop interpersonal and life skills to enhance their future opportunities.”
The aim of establishing Cumbria Youth Commission is so that the Police and Crime Commissioner can work in partnership with young people to;
- Address the most urgent priorities effecting young people.
- Enhance the county’s response to matters relating to policing and crime and their effects on young people.
- Train peer educators and researchers to provide peer education to young people on the priority areas and to gain their views on the issues.
- Work alongside the Police and Crime Commissioner to help develop the response and approach to young people for the Police and Crime Plan and advise on the commissioning of services aimed at children and young people.
- As much as possible, to bring together learning from existing work within the county on the priority issues to enhance the working knowledge of the
- Youth Commission and avoid duplication.
- To support and challenge the work of the Police and Crime Commissioner.
Academy teacher Stephanie Slater said: “We are delighted to be able to work with the Police and Crime Commissioner on this important project.
Young people understand the issues they face in the community, and this is a great opportunity for them to make a change for the better.”