A COMMUNITY programme put young people in Poole at centre stage to show off their talents and skills in front of councillors and youth leaders.

Youngsters from across the borough were placed in charge at the Civic Centre earlier this month for the final phase of the Poole Youth Conversation initiative.

In front of community organisations, charity representatives and senior council officials, the talented teenagers showed how they could help the town go in the right direction.

The main youth conversation event, which took place earlier in the year, saw 60 young people from more than 10 schools and youth projects come together to talk about their aspirations for themselves and their town. The young people said that family, work and friends were what mattered most to them. .

One of the attendees, said: “This event has been very thought provoking for me. It has made me think a lot about my own aspirations.”

After a meeting in September, teams presented their ideas about how they could improve the town at the Civic Centre event on October 9.

One team, led by one of the youngsters alongside Mayor of Poole Sean Gabriel, police representatives, youth leaders, and town pastors came up with the idea of a new app.

The concept was for young people to be able to gather points for helping at community activities, which then built into rewards for leisure and fitness activities.

Other ideas addressed accessibility, opportunities for personal and professional development, and how young people could be heard.

Alistair Doxat-Purser from Faithworks, one of the groups behind the Poole Conversation initiative, attended the town-wide meeting.

“This is the third Poole Conversation and they have all proved to be a success,” he said.

“We’ve heard from “decision makers” back in June 2016 about their view on the issues in the town.

“Then we’ve showcased “Great Neighbourhood” grass-root projects that bring people together at the start of this year. Now it has been the turn of the young people.”

Mr Doxat Purser said the ideas on show were “astonishing”.

“Not only have they come up with unexpected and innovative ideas, but they have led our discussions with more skill than I have seen for many a year,” he added. “Now we need to see how we can work together to turn ideas into action.”