CUMBRIA’S Police and Crime Commissioner Richard Rhodes has commissioned the organisation Young Cumbria to deliver a series of youth group and school sessions around risk taking behaviour. Called ‘Risky Business’ the sessions look at issues such as Child Sexual Exploitation, alcohol and psychoactive substance abuse. Young Cumbria will also be canvassing the views of young people on the police and the Police and Crime Commissioner, with a view to setting up a Youth Commission next year.

The vision is to create positive and lasting change in the lives of young people in Cumbria and particularly to make a significant difference in outcomes for those young people most disadvantaged.

Mr Rhodes said: “I am delighted that we have secured the services of Young Cumbria to deliver this project. I have prioritised the delivery of services to young people in my Police and Crime Plan, and as part of this commitment I will be providing funding towards youth projects aimed at supporting young people. The key and often forgotten part of the criminal justice system is prevention, and with levels of youth crime unacceptably high, these grants are an attempt to steer young people away from criminal activity as early as possible.”