“We want young people to be noticed for the good they do”
The Youth Advisory Panel (YAP) brings young people of different ages, backgrounds and from different areas together for one common goal and purpose. We all want one thing; to help make Meath a better place for young people to live. In doing this we look at the different issues that affect young people, and as young people this is obviously easier as we are going through this also.
Young people are often portrayed in a negative light in the media and sometimes you have to look at it and think, what other options do young people have? A lot of towns, but especially rural areas, are poorly equipped to support and, for lack of a better word, entertain young people. It is not fair to ask young people to sit at home every night and wait until they are eighteen at which stage they are allowed go to the proverbial pub… Is that all that we want to be able to offer our young people? In a society that is steeped in talents why don’t we try to get our young people to find and use theirs in a positive way?
We want young people to be noticed for the good they do and the talents that they can share with their communities, and not just be thought of as selfish, lazy, troublemakers. The YAP gives a voice to the young people in the community and highlights what they want and what they can do. We will work with local agencies to help support and develop these opportunities for young people.
Story by: Lisa, 21, YAP member
