THE Greenwood Park Community Policing Forum’s Youth Desk is up and running again with numerous activities planned for the upcoming months.
Ashlin Ellan, a 26-year-old geography tutor from Avoca, is passionate about youth empowerment and the community, and is on the helm of the desk, serving as the chairperson.
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The CPF Youth Desk is an organisation run by the Greenwood Park Police Station. “It is divided into six sub-forums,” he told Northglen News.
“The community meeting was held at the beginning of June, where I was elected by the youth members as the chairperson of Sub-Forum 2. Another meeting was held the following day with representatives from all sub-forums, where I was then elected as the chairperson of the main forum,” said Ellan.
Being in the education field, Ellan was actively involved with youth and their development.
He also holds the position of chairperson of environmental organisation, Green Buddies Environmental Club, since 2016.
“I also serve on the Interim Ratepayers Association Committee and am the assistant secretary of the Greenwood Park Shree Ranganathar Temple Society,” he added.
The youth desk has an active participation of 63 members currently, and Ellan says this number is fast increasing.
Committee members are made up of youth from Greenwood Park, Effingham, Avoca, Redhill and Riverhorse Valley.
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After seeing a need for the youth to get together and play a role in society, the CPF re-introduced the platform to attract the youth and bring them together.
“It has been said that the Youth Desk was out of action for about 15 years, so for it to be active once again, and getting the youth involved in constructive activities, is a great initiative,” he said.
Since June, members have been busy at work with several projects and have undertaken to conduct an awareness campaign on various topics each month at the Greenwood Park Lifestyle Market.
“We have also held a clean-up in the Effingham area, and on Sunday, we painted the Redhill Clinic as part of our Mandela Day initiative,” said Ellan.
“Next up on the Youth Desk’s calendar is a Women’s Day empowerment conference for the youth girls in our community, on August 7, followed by a Crime Awareness Day together with the CPF, SAPS and all our security companies, on August 13, at Blackburn Road Grounds.
“The CPF Youth Desk requires the support of many stakeholders in order for there to be sustainability. We appeal to our community, principals, educators, leaders and parents to motivate our youth to join us, and let’s take the initiative of improving our community,” he said.
Anyone between the ages of 14-35, residing in the areas of their sub-forum, can join the Youth Desk.
