The Staffordshire Youth Commission have launched their latest report this April.
The first of its kind dedicated to young people in Staffordshire, the report summarises the project’s findings from discussions with over 4,000 young people in 2019, around topical issues such as knife crime, sexual assault and mental health.
The Staffordshire Commissioner for Police, Fire and Rescue and Crime, Matthew Ellis, opens the report: ‘The challenges that young people face today are at unprecedented levels. It is our duty to find solutions to these complex problems so young people can be heard and new approaches can be developed.
‘The Staffordshire Youth Commission is a youth driven participation model that is evolving this work to build connections between young people and community stakeholders.
‘I am delighted to share this annual report with a hope that we can together build stronger communities to best serve the changing needs of our young people.’
Olivia Lucas, Project Coordinator, said of the report: ‘I am extremely proud of our volunteers for their efforts in undertaking such a big scope of research throughout 2019.
‘This report represents the voices, needs and concerns of young people across our county, and we hope that it will influence key decision makers and our communities.’
Simeron Pudden-Ward, who has volunteered with the project for over two years, said: ‘It has been an empowering experience as a Staffordshire Youth Commissioner.
‘We have worked together to compile our research and engagement with young people into this report, seeking to educate others and encourage social action.
‘The most interesting finding for me is that 86% of young people state that they carry knives for protection because they are scared. 76% of our recipients also feel that the Police do not deal with antisocial behaviour properly.
‘This highlights a culture of fear among young people and suggests that they feel their safety needs are not being met, so they use weapons as an alternative.’
The report can be viewed via the Staffordshire Youth Commission’s website: www.staffordshireyouthcommission.com.
