News
Police listening to young people
06/01/2010
CHILDREN 1ST and Lothian and Borders Police have been working to together to find out how young people view Police Officers.
Thirty young people attended a workshop at Stewarts Melville College on Tuesday 5th January and were given the opportunity to influence the Police force's new youth strategy.
They were asked to discuss issues such as the negative portrayal of young people and whether they felt well protected by the police. Much of the discussion was a direct follow on from CHILDREN 1ST’s 125 event last year which saw young people from across Scotland sending a very clear message about the impact that stereotypical views about young people have on them.
Speaking at the consultation event, Tom Roberts from CHILDREN 1ST said: "I think in CHILDREN 1ST’s experience, young people are very willing to speak out about how they feel about how they're treated in the community but all too often, it's the negative headlines that we hear about.
The young people that we're hearing from today are very able to tell us that, actually, not all young people are the same. Not all young people are out to cause trouble. They've actually got a lot to offer in terms of how we work as a community, together, to keep young people and the wider community safe."
Inspector Jim Royan from Lothian and Borders Police said: "Events like these are a fantastic opportunity to find out what the real issues are for young people, and what they want us to do about them.
"This is the second time we've held such an event, and we find them an invaluable tool in setting the groundwork for our new youth strategy."
Last updated: 06/01/2010
