A TEENAGER from Wales is among a group of 15 young people from across the UK who will make up a new forum of young people to advise the NSPCC, politicians, regulators, parents and professionals about the best way to protect children online.

The ‘Voice of Online Youth’ is a group aged 13-16 from across the UK who are passionate about helping children to have safe and happy experiences online.

They aim to get young people’s voices heard and ensure decisions about online safety are informed by their unique experiences. They will do this by meeting with decision makers across all nations of the UK, attending events, and engaging in workshops.

The Voice of Online Youth is formed of ten people from England, two from Scotland, two from Northern Ireland, and one from Wales, Maelon, 13 from South Wales, leading to a diversity of perspectives and life experiences within the group.

The group, which officially launched today (June 28th), forms as Ofcom consults on its initial plans to regulate social media under the Online Safety Act.

Maelon, 13, from Maesteg says, “I joined the Voice of Online Youth because I wanted to help more people who have been negatively affected online and I thought the role would suit me well.”

Shalom, 14, from Bolton, says, “I wanted to join the group because I think the online world is such a wonderful place and I want to contribute to making it so young people can navigate the online world and discover new opportunities while also being a safe space for us to be in.”

Rayhaan, 17, from Leicester, says,’ “I want to spread awareness about the many issues facing young people on the internet today. Together, I hope we can work towards a future where everyone is safe online.”

Young people’s voices were central in the NSPCC’s Wild West Web campaign which called for the Online Safety Act. The charity made sure key decision makers heard about young people’s experiences and what they thought needed to change. The Voice of Online Youth will build on this through giving children a vital voice in the implementation of the act.

Sir Peter Wanless, NSPCC Chief Executive: “The Voice of Online Youth will offer valuable insight and a unique perspective to the NSPCC, bolstering our efforts to ensure children’s online safety is prioritised.

“This group can also help shape the thinking of policymakers and regulators, who desperately need to be considering the views of those impacted by online challenges to truly understand the issues they face.

“It’s crucial Ofcom engage with young people when implementing the new online safety regulation to ensure it is effective and results in a truly safer online world which children can enjoy.”

The NSPCC also want the next Government to ensure children and young people’s voices and experiences are meaningfully considered in the development and implementation of online safety regulation through introducing statutory mechanisms to ensure their voices are consistently heard.

A VOLUNTEER crew out on training exercise were diverted to a real casualty within minutes of launching.

Three volunteer crew members from Fishguard RNLI had just launched the charity’s D class inshore lifeboat Edward Arthur Richardson for a planned routine training exercise, and were attempting to notify HM Coastguard of their intentions when they were tasked to a genuine shout.

The request was to attend to a 5m rigid inflatable boat (RIB) with 2 persons onboard which was located approximately 1.5 miles east of Pen Anglas and had lost all means of propulsion.

With rain moving into the area the two casualties onboard were also open to the elements. On rounding Pen Anglas the casualty vessel was spotted in the distance and the lifeboat made best speed into the conditions.

Once on scene an assessment was carried out and due to the worsening weather conditions and with the boat at risk of drifting towards cliffs due to having no means of propulsion, it was determined the safest course of action would be to establish an astern tow and return the casualty vessel to the nearest safe harbour at Goodwick.

Following a slow tow at 3-4 knots the casualty was brought inside the breakwater at Goodwick where a lifeboat crew member was transferred across to assist in taking the vessel from an astern tow to an alongside tow, giving the volunteer helm more control to bring the casualty vessel alongside the slip at Goodwick.

Once alongside the slip the casualty vessel was made fast and casualties transferred safely ashore to recover their vessel. The lifeboat then returned to station where it was washed down, refuelled and made ready again for service.

Fishguard RNLI volunteer inshore lifeboat Helm, Ian Davies, said: ‘We had launched to carry out routine training for crew working towards their upcoming assessments, this included setting up and establishing astern and alongside tows when we were called upon to assist the casualty, as a result we ended up putting that training into practice to safely return the casualty vessel to shore.

‘The owner did the correct thing and contacted the Coastguard using their radio on channel 16 to report their situation. We would like to remind any water users to ensure they always carry a means of calling for help, most commonly a personal VHF radio or mobile phone kept in a waterproof pouch and should be within reach at all times.’

A NEW exhibition at Oriel y Parc, National Park Discovery Centre celebrating 200 years of the RNLI will launch at the end of this month with an exciting opening event.

Courage and Community: RNLI 200 Cymru is inspired by the tales of valour from the six lifeboat stations and 13 RNLI lifeguarded beaches along Pembrokeshire’s beautiful but hazardous coastline. Timed to coincide with the RNLI’s 200th anniversary, the exhibition is a collaboration between Amgueddfa Cymru, the RNLI and Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority.

Consisting of stories, pictures and artefacts, Courage and Community will also feature an Arancia-class inshore rescue craft, offering visitors the chance to get on board, try out some RNLI equipment and have a taste of a rescue at sea.

The exhibition will open on Saturday 29 June in true celebratory style, with a packed programme of music, talks and family-friendly activities.

At 2pm and 2.45pm, Dr Julian Whitewright, Senior Investigator (Maritime) at the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales, will give 15-minute talks on two notable rescue events from the 20th century – the 1900 wreck of the Cashier off the Solva coast, which involved the Little Haven rowing lifeboat; and the role played by the St Davids lifeboat in an incident involving three tug boats lost west of Solva in 1981.

With water safety forming a key theme at the exhibition, a drop-in engagement pod will be open throughout the day to provide water safety demos and advice from the RNLI and Sian Richardson, Founder of The Bluetits Chill Swimmers.

Live music will be performed by the Solva Ukelele Pirates and Mike Chant, St Davids lifeboat mechanic.

As well as some sea-themed games, younger visitors will have an opportunity to become engineers and magicians in a drop-in thaumatrope workshop with local artist, Kate Evans. A thaumatrope is one of the earliest forms of animation and is an optical illusion toy made from a paper disk, with a picture on each side.

Manager of Oriel y Parc Rachel Perkins said: “We are thrilled to present Courage and Community, an engaging and interactive experience that we hope will captivate our visitors. By showcasing the incredible local stories of bravery and dedication from the RNLI, we aim to deepen the public’s appreciation for their vital work and hopefully inspire a new generation of supporters and volunteers who will continue the legacy of lifesaving for years to come.”

The opening event of Courage and Community will take place on Saturday 29 June, between 10am-3pm. Entry to this remarkable exhibition is free and it will remain on display at Oriel y Parc until 1 June 2025.

More information about this and other events and exhibitions at Oriel y Parc can be found at www.orielyparc.co.uk.