YOUNG people in North Yorkshire will be given the skills to identify and raise awareness of bullying and how to address it.

The Youth Voice Conference took place at the Pavilions of Harrogate, and was open to primary and secondary pupils and young people’s groups across North Yorkshire, and aimed to inform young people about issues which affect them, and to put their views to policy-makers and organisations which make decisions on their behalf.

Young people at the conference voted for the Youth Voice Executive to campaign on bullying, how to spot it, what to do if it’s happening to you and what support should be available, as well as the emotional impact and the effect on mental and physical health.

Aimee Walker, vice chair of the Youth Voice Executive and a pupil at Boroughbridge High School, said: "Bullying has always been an issue for young people. It’s changed forms recently with social media enabling it to happen more outside school, but it is an issue being talked about more and it’s important to make sure we keep talking about it.

"If you leave everything up to adults it doesn’t necessarily equip you to deal with bullying when you enter the world of work. One of the aims of the campaign will be how to identify bullying. We need to raise awareness generally."

About 240 people attended the conference, held in Harrogate in March, with workshops and talks held by North Yorkshire Police, LGBT rights charity Stonewall and a presentation by the Young People’s Council, made up of young people who have experienced care in the region.

North Yorkshire County Councillor Janet Sanderson, Executive member for children’s and young people’s services, said: "We’ve had some very positive feedback from this conference. One school has reported its students have been inspired to start a diversity group, another that they will be introducing a Box of Positivity after visiting the Child and Adolescent Mental Health stall. It also helps schools learn about some of the services and charity support they can access. Importantly, events like this provide a great opportunity to empower young people, giving them a voice and a means of influencing decisions which will impact their lives."