Bridgend Youth Council
This body gives young people a voice in Bridgend County Borough. If you identify an important issue that affects the area’s youth, we’ll fight to make it happen.
Bridgend Youth Council comprises of:
- A Youth Mayor
- A Deputy Youth Mayor
- Cabinet Members
- Youth Councillors
It is set up and run by local young people and is an entirely separate entity from Bridgend County Borough Council.
Cabinet Members
- Eco and Sustainability – Vacant at Present
- Youth Wellbeing and Equalities – Vacant at Present
- Education – Vacant at Present
- UK Youth MP for Bridgend – Aspen Whiting
- Welsh Youth Parliament Member for Bridgend – Vacant at Present
Youth Mayor: Phoebe Evans
Phoebe's priorities are:
- Mental health – Making support more visible and accessible in schools and communities, and helping young people feel more comfortable speaking up.
- The environment – Supporting eco-friendly initiatives and encouraging youth-led projects that promote sustainability and care for our local spaces.
- Education – Making sure students of all abilities feel supported, and promoting different learning opportunities that suit a range of interests and futures—not just one path.
Deputy Youth Mayor: Adam Cloutier
Adam's priorities are:
- Provide more opportunities for apprenticeships and work experience
- To start allowing young people to optionally participate in safe suitable work e.g. working in corner shops, office work and online work etc. while also implementing policies to make sure young people under these environments are safe and not exploited.
- Economic and environmental sustainability
What happens at Youth Council?
Are you unsure of joining the youth council? Come along to one of our socials to meet the council in an informal way. The youth council will meet once a month to have a social. No meetings, consultations, or agendas just fun and the chance to chat. We provide everyone the opportunity to host a social and to skill share. For example, game night or arts and crafts and so much more!
We hold regular youth council meetings twice a month, one online and one in person in the Civic Offices in Bridgend.
The meetings have special guests from other organisations and professionals from Bridgend County Borough Council. We have consultations and design campaigns within the meetings. Everyone has the opportunity to chair a youth council meeting and to take minutes.
Youth council wanted to design a campaign to educate their peers on topics that are important to them. For example, mental health, climate change and political education (the 3 main priorities of the youth council).
The council members get together and learn about the topic and then design fun and engaging workshops to deliver to their peers, teachers, parents and the Bridgend community.
Want to be a peer educator? Get in contact and be a part of the peer to peer education campaign!
I want to be part of the Youth Council!
The recruitment process for the Youth Council is very simple:
- Bridgend Youth Council is open to all young people aged 11-25 living or attending school in the Bridgend area.
- We currently have young people from all over Bridgend who attend different schools, colleges or are home schooled.
- We hold face-to-face and online meetings and hold our meetings on the third Wednesday of every month in the Civic Offices in Bridgend.
For more information or to be a part of the council please contact:
Raise an issue
If you identify an important issue that affects the area’s youth, we’ll fight to make it happen. To raise an issue or express an opinion about your area, please contact:
Youth Council stories
M was a Youth Council Member and ran for Youth Mayor.
She was elected and served as Youth Mayor for her term, getting involved in a number of initiatives, such as working with Welsh Government, the Police and Crimes Commissioners Team and leading on Period Dignity initiatives for Bridgend.
M is now at University studying Politics and International Relations and she was a finalist for Young Activist of The Year in 2022!
She is looking forward to a career in Law.
G was one of our Deputy Youth Mayor’s and has been awarded the Mayors Citizenship Award.
This is due to his amazing win of the prestigious Diana Award, for his outstanding community work in developing and delivering Trans Awareness Training to young people, parents and professionals across South Wales and helping to lead on creating YPOP LGBTQIA+ Youth Group in Bridgend.
YPOP came from a need identified by the young people during the pandemic lockdowns.
We developed an online LGBTQIA+ Safe Space for Young People to relax and meet others from across the county borough. Our sessions include guest speakers, workshops , cosplay nights, and Quiz Nights.
Members have been working on projects such as developing their own LGBTQIA+ and Trans Awareness Policy and community art project. And were highlighted by Sarah Murphy MS in the Senedd as a much needed and welcomed safe space for young people in Bridgend.
We meet weekly face-to-face in the Youth Hub, Evergreen Hall, every Monday evening from 4pm - 6pm for ages 12-17 years.