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On the 22 January North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Andy Dunbobbin visited the GISDA base in Caernarfon to meet with staff and young people from their LGBTQ+ Youth Club, to talk about community relations with the police and concerns regarding hate crime.
GISDA is a charity founded in 1985 that provides support and offers opportunities to vulnerable young people aged between 14 and 25 years old in North Wales. They also have bases in Pwllheli and Blaenau Ffestiniog. The GISDA Youth Club plays a pivotal role in shaping the future by providing a supportive environment for young individuals. GISDA’s LGBTQ+ project received the Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion award at the PCC’s 2023 Community Awards in recognition of the work they have done with the community.
Catrin Watkins at GISDA said: “Young people from Caernarfon deal with hate crime often. After I looked into things further, I arranged for the Police and Crime Commissioner to come and chat with the young people so that they can have the opportunity to learn more about protecting themselves and the ability to ask any questions that relate to hate crime”.
During the visit to the GISDA base in Caernarfon, the young people expressed their thoughts and opinions on hate crime in the community. The PCC got a chance to listen thoroughly to the worries and experiences the young people have had with the police and hate crime. The young people were able to voice their thoughts with the confidence that they will be listened to in a safe and secure environment. Through collaborative conversations the young people in the youth club and the PCC came up with various ideas on how to build better relationships between the police and the LGBTQ+ community and how to reduce hate crime towards young people in the LGBTQ+ community. The young people and the PCC discussed how hate crime affects their day-to-day life and how receiving support from the police and learning how to deal with hate crime would encourage more positivity in their lives. The PCC was able to provide the young individuals with information on how to access support when having experienced hate crime. Figures released last year showed that recorded hate crime was down by 12.9% across North Wales compared to the prior year showing the positive work done so far.
Andy Dunbobbin, Police and Crime Commissioner for North Wales commented: “It was a pleasure to visit the GISDA LGBTQ+ Youth Club in Caernarfon. Engaging in collaborative conversations and exchanging perspectives with young members of the Youth Club showed the importance of reducing hate crime within the community. GISDA’s work is extremely important and the work it does is essential for cultivating a society where diversity is celebrated”.
PC Einir Williams of North Wales Police commented: “Meeting the people who attend the GISDA Youth Club was a very positive and educational experience. Visiting GISDA was a pivotal step in finding ways to support youth and diminish hate crime. Bringing new insights is crucial to encouraging positive change. During the visit I saw once again how important the relationship between the police and young people in the community is, something that is very important to everyone at North Wales Police. Encouraging open dialogue and implementing openness are key steps toward building trust and creating a safer, more supportive environment for the LGBTQ+ community”.