Plaid Cymru Councillor Mike Prew has been elected as the county borough’s Youth Champion for the fifth year.
Cllr Prew, who represents the Morgan Jones ward, said: “I’m delighted to have been elected unopposed as youth champion for a fifth year to be a voice for young people throughout the county borough.”
He was originally voted in as youth champion in 2008 as part of a special competition called ‘I’m a Councillor – Get me out of here!’
Mike, married to Lisa and with a son, Thomas, ten, said: “Many young people are facing a difficult future because of the lack of job opportunities.
“I hope Caerphilly council will continue the work of expanding the apprenticeship and training places which was developed by the last Plaid administration. We must do everything to support our younger generation – the last thing we want is for them to be the victims of an economic crisis which is none of their doing.
“Politicians of whatever persuasion need to ensure that young people are involved in decisions which affect them. We all want to see more young people participate in the democratic process and perhaps the decision in Scotland to allow 16 and 17-year-olds to vote in the Independence Referendum in 2014 is the way forward.”
Mike praised the work of the Youth Forum, which has been existence for more than a decade, giving young people aged 11 to 25 the chance to have their voices heard.
Young people changed council policy with no-smoking in the area’s parks and a sign was designed by one of them in the Young Lung at play competition.
They have been voting for the issue they feel is the most important to young people in the borough. This will then become the Youth Forum priority Issue for 2012-2013.
The four issues that young people are voting on are:
- Education for Life – transition – Better transition information from schools to colleges and higher education.
- Health, Social Care and Wellbeing – abuse – everyone needs to be able to recognise all types of abuse and know how to report it and have the confidence to do so.
- Living Environment – leisure – better facilities needed and more activity choices for all at a lower cost while advertising needs to be improved.
- Regeneration – disability access – some places in the county borough do not have suitable access for disabled people.