Young volunteers: Inspiring Stories from South Wales Police
South Wales Police have been impressed with the young people who have gone above and beyond during the pandemic via the Police Youth Volunteer Scheme.
The volunteers have remained positive, determined and sought to achieve the very best for themselves and others. Here’s a story of one of them – meet Caty.
Caty’s story:
Caty, 21, from Riverside, is a Police Youth Volunteer Leader having joined the Cardiff West Police Youth Volunteer HUB at Fitzalan High School when first established.
Caty is an inspirational young woman who has combined her volunteering with Police Youth Volunteers while studying for a psychology degree at Cardiff University as well as completing a work placement at a residential home for people with acute mental health illness.
She has also volunteered with Victim Focus, previously been a Student Volunteer, raised funds for Help for Heroes – including a parachute jump – as well as being involved with campaigning for the WWF and RSPB.
Throughout the pandemic, Caty has sought to assist others – she has prepared numerous presentations for other Police Youth Volunteer’s on observation skills, mental health, wellbeing and mindfulness. Caty has also produced a short guide on mindfulness that was published and available on Amazon.
Caty possesses determination, intelligence and an abundant willingness to volunteer and assist others. This can be seen in the volunteering that she completed with Victim Focus making contact with victims of anti-social behaviour.
Caty has decided on a future career in policing and has shown an interest in the Graduate Direct Entry Detective Programme.
Her volunteering also included working with Cardiff Central CID in which she assisted in preparing a case against a defendant responsible for a serious crime.
Caty reviewed medical notes over a number of weeks’ in order to gain additional supportive evidence that would ultimately result in a conviction at Court.
Caty can speak English, Portuguese, Spanish, Welsh and has set herself the task of learning Mandarin. She recently produced a poem, in English, raising awareness around knife crime entitled ‘Lives Lost’:
Lives Lost
A typical night in town,
Takes an unexpected turn,
Down the left alley,
Blue lights, crowds cornering the exits.
What happened? You ask a passer-by
Stopping to ask the very same thing
To the next… and the next…
Whispers from one to another
Each with their own story
But you know in your gut
That someone isHurt.
Stabbed.
Sirens around the corner
The ambulance arrives.
The crowds look on
With their phones
Recording. Callingsomeone
Theirloved one.
While Paramedics try to save
TheVictim.Someone.
A Brother. A Sister.
A Daughter. A Son.
Another Life Lost.
Who were they?
What could they have become?
The next day what happened last night
Meets the media.
Teenager stabbed.Cardiff stabbing.
Stabbing. Stabbing.
A few months later
Another Life Lost.
AnotherSon. AnotherDaughter.
AnotherFriend. AnotherLife.
Behind the scenes
Officers working long hours
Looking at every lead
Interviewing witnesses
Collecting evidence
Analysing Reviewing
Putting together a case
Supporting family members
Compiling a suspect list
Interviewing suspects
Charging if there is enough evidence
Hoping for justice
The Work never stops.
The Fight continues.
Families broken. Lives Lost.
Let Us put an end to knife crime.
Working together for
OurFamilies. OurCommunity. OurFuture.
Young people can access a range of support and advice from qualifications to mental health, by visiting one of the following websites:
? https://hwb.gov.wales/zones/keeping-safe-online/support-services/confidential-support
? https://www.wjec.co.uk/home/supporting-teachers-and-learners-during-coronavirus/your-wellbeing
?https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/for-children-and-young-people