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Champion youths

8:47am Wednesday 7th May 2008

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I VERY much enjoyed my first engagement as York's Children and Young People's Champion. It included holding a question time event with children aged 11 to 15 at Millthorpe School.

Their questions were engaging and they pulled no punches in asking the police, councillors and council officers direct questions.

Events such as this show us that not all young people in York are hoodie-wearing menaces, they are hard-working model citizens of the future who care about the community in York.

I hope some in the audience were the councillors and MPs of tomorrow.

Coun James Alexander, York's Children and Young People's Champion, Flanders House, Aldwark, York.

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franky, york says...
5:16pm Wed 7 May 08

Events such as this show us that not all young people in York are hoodie-wearing menaces, they are hard-working model citizens of the future who care about the community in York.

You should be even stronger and say the truth, which is that "only a minority" of young people are trouble-making menaces, instead of repeating your predecessor's error and perpetuating stereotypes of young people (with you hoodie comment).

That's why you are young people's champion, so you can challenge the stereotypes (strongly) on their behalf. Not continue the status quo with negative language like "not all".

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Cllr James Alexander, York says...
8:43pm Wed 7 May 08

franky,

I did not imply young people are hoodie-wearing menaces, I am stating the opposite. I am stating hat people are not all like these few bad apples we hear about and events such as this question time show this.

Councillor James Alexander
York's Children and Young People's Champion

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Stop The Moaning - Life Aint, York says...
9:30pm Wed 7 May 08

James this was not as you claim "a question time event." If you watch Question Time you will notice their are representatives of ALL parties. You only invited Labour councillors. This is propaganda. It is shame that so far you have only had one event as 'Young People's Champion' and you have already sullied the name. It is supposed to be non party political NOT just another excuse to hear Labour spin. Shame on you.

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Cllr James Alexander, York says...
10:51pm Wed 7 May 08

As Young Person's Champion I am non-partisan and I was a non-partisan Chair. I did not organise the event I was invited. If it was a Lib Dem ward, a Tory ward or a Green ward I would have still accepted. I think accepting an offer to chair a meeting so that young people can hold their local Councillors, police, youth service and environment officers to account is right irrespective of party.

I am not going to turn down such invitations and disappoint those young people who voted for me.

Councillor James Alexander
York's Children and Young Person's Champion

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petethefeet, York says...
11:18pm Wed 7 May 08

James. Congratulations. You have the balls to come on here and respond to your doubters. I'd love Mr Arrogance himself, Mr Galloway, to do the same. But I know him and I know he won't. Too busy with his head shoved up where the sun don't shine.

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franky, york says...
11:47pm Wed 7 May 08

Cllr James Alexander wrote:
franky,

I did not imply young people are hoodie-wearing menaces, I am stating the opposite. I am stating hat people are not all like these few bad apples we hear about and events such as this question time show this.

Councillor James Alexander
York's Children and Young People's Champion
And I'm simply suggesting that as champion you could achieve more for those young people and the perception of them by stating that in much stronger terms than the ones you choose.

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Stop The Moaning - Life Aint, York says...
8:59am Thu 8 May 08

It seem you cant stop 'spinning' can you James, though some might call it dishonesty.

If that is the case stop calling it a 'question time type event'. and say what it was. You were invited by your Labour colleagues to attend a meeting arranged by Labour councillors for a discussion between young people and their Labour councillors.

If you were being effective in your role you should perhaps have encouraged your colleagues to make it a real debate and invite Conservatives Greens Lib Dems etc along so the Young people could have had an effective engagement not had to be subjected to one sided propaganda

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GeorgeAppleby, Clifton, York. says...
9:54am Thu 8 May 08

I would like to hear from some of the independently minded young people from the meeting.

WOULD THEY LIKE TO HAVE A SIMILAR MEETING, WITH ALL PARTIES PRESENT, AND REACH independent CONCLUSIONS. FOR A NATION TO PROGRESS IT HAS TO ACCOMODATE ALL SHADES.

My dad brought me up to vote labour, but over many years I have voted for all shades for different reasons.

I have great faith in the young and they have many serious problems facing them that we didn't.

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