Crawley Young Persons Council — young people aged 11 to 25 shaping decisions in Crawley
Members area
Are you a CYPC member?
The members area is for young people who've already joined the council. If you're a member, sign in with the key you were given. If not, joining takes a couple of minutes.
The Crawley Young Persons Council, or CYPC, exists so the people who run the town hear straight from the people growing up in it. We are young people aged 11 to 25 who live, work, or study in Crawley.
We meet about once a month at the Town Hall or a spot in the town centre. Elections happen every two years, and any young person in Crawley can put themselves forward for a seat.
We are backed by Crawley Borough Council's Community Development team, so our work plugs into real decisions. From grilling senior councillors to visiting Parliament and meeting Crawley's MP, we get young voices into rooms they usually get left out of.
Live, work or study hereAges 11 to 25MonthlyCouncil backed
The council
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Annual Youth Question Time
11–25
Open to these ages
MP
Met Crawley's MP
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Led by young people
Who can join
If you are 11 to 25 and Crawley is your town, you are in.
Aged 11 to 25
Year 7 or already at college, work, or uni. There is a place for you either way.
Live, work or study here
You do not have to live in Crawley. If your school, college, or job is here, you count.
No experience needed
You do not need to be into politics or top of the class. Bring an opinion, that is it.
What actually happens
A meeting, in plain English.
01
Once a month
Usually a couple of hours at the Town Hall or town centre. Come when you can, no pressure if you miss one.
02
We talk it out
We share what is going on, pick the issues to push, and plan events. Everyone gets a say, not just the confident ones.
03
We make decisions
Sometimes guests like councillors drop in. Mostly we sort out what we are doing next and who is doing it.
Our year
Not a talking shop. A track record.
Visited Parliament
A tour of the Houses of Parliament and a meeting with Crawley's MP, seeing how decisions get made.
Held Youth Question Time
Now in its fourth year, gathering students from across Crawley with workshops and a live panel.
Grilled councillors
We put safety, wellbeing, and stuff to do directly to the Leader of the Council and cabinet members.
Open events, meetings and sessions you can come along to. Spot one you fancy? Sign up and we'll know to expect you. No pressure, and you can just turn up too.
Loading what's on...
IN
Get involved
Why join CYPC?
01
Be heard where it counts
Your opinion reaches councillors and decision makers, not just a comment box.
02
Build real confidence
Speaking up, debating, and leading projects are skills that stick for life.
03
Stand out on applications
Looks brilliant on a CV, college or sixth form form, UCAS, or job application.
04
Meet people from everywhere
Connect with young people from every school and corner of Crawley.
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Trips and opportunities
From the Parliament visit to events and workshops, members get to go places.
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It is actually a laugh
Good people, real purpose, and the buzz of changing something annoying.
How it works
Curious to council in four steps.
1
Register interest
Sign up on the council's official form, or just email us. That is the whole first step.
2
Come along
Drop into a monthly meeting at the Town Hall and see what we are about.
3
Stand for a seat
Elections run every two years. Any young person in Crawley can nominate themselves.
4
Make change
Pick the issues you care about and start moving them forward.
No pressure
What you actually sign up for.
An hour or two a month
One meeting, plus the odd event if you fancy it. We get that you have school, exams, and a life.
Miss one? No drama
Cannot make a meeting? Come when you can. Nobody is checking a register.
Bring a mate
Easier with a friend? Bring one. The more young people involved, the louder we are.
Good questions
Stuff people ask before joining.
Do I need any experience?+
Nope. Most members turn up knowing nothing about how councils work. You learn as you go, and there is always someone to show you the ropes.
Do I have to be into politics?+
Not at all. You just need to care about something, whether that is mental health, bus routes, parks, or somewhere to hang out.
I am shy. Is that okay?+
Completely. Loads of members start quiet. You will never be forced to speak in front of everyone, and confidence has a habit of sneaking up on you here.
How much time does it take?+
Roughly one meeting a month, around an hour or two. Events and trips are extra and totally optional.
Does it cost anything?+
No. Joining and taking part is free.
Do I have to live in Crawley?+
You need to live, work, or study in Crawley. So if your school or college is here, you qualify even if you live just outside.
Will it help with college or jobs?+
Yes. It is real leadership and teamwork experience that stands out on a CV, a college or sixth form application, UCAS, or an apprenticeship form.
YOUR MOVE✦YOUR MOVE✦YOUR MOVE✦YOUR MOVE✦YOUR MOVE✦YOUR MOVE✦YOUR MOVE✦YOUR MOVE
Register your interest
Tell us you are in.
Signing up takes about two minutes on Crawley Borough Council's official form. Everyone aged 11 to 25 who lives, works, or studies in Crawley is welcome.
What happens nextWe get in touch about the next meeting
SPEAK
Have your say
Not ready to join? Still tell us.
You do not have to be a member to be heard. If something in Crawley is doing your head in, or you have an idea that would make life better for young people here, send it over. We bring the stuff you raise to our meetings and to the council.
Mental healthFeeling safeStuff to doGetting aroundAnything else
Spaces to hang out, things to do in the evenings and holidays, somewhere that is actually for us.
"Do not always feel safe"
Lighting, dodgy spots, getting home, and feeling secure walking around town.
"Mental health matters"
Support that is easy to reach, less stigma, and adults who take it seriously.
QUIT
Look after yourself
Vaping. The honest bit.
Loads of young people in Crawley vape, and loads want to stop. No lecture here: nicotine is genuinely addictive, which is why quitting feels hard and why wanting to quit is nothing to be embarrassed about. If you are thinking about stopping, this page is what actually helps.
No judgementNo lectureReal support
REAL
What it actually does
Straight facts, no scare story.
You have heard "vaping is bad" a hundred times, so here is the actual why. These are not made up to frighten you, they are what doctors and the NHS have found.
01
It hooks you fast
Nicotine is one of the most addictive things going, and a teenage brain gets hooked quicker than an adult one. Signs of addiction can show up before you even vape every day, which is exactly why "I could stop whenever" is usually not true.
02
Your brain is still being built
The brain keeps developing until about 25. Nicotine messes with the parts that handle focus, memory, mood and self-control while they are still forming, and that can stick around into adult life. Loads of vapers notice worse concentration and patchy sleep.
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It feeds anxiety, it does not fix it
The most common reason young people give for vaping is stress or feeling low. The catch: nicotine withdrawal between vapes actually cranks anxiety up, so you vape to feel normal, not calm. It is a loop that makes the original feeling worse.
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It is not just water vapour
The aerosol is not steam. It carries fine chemicals deep into your lungs, and doctors are already seeing airway damage in young vapers. Because these products are new, nobody yet knows the full long-term picture, and that uncertainty is its own reason to be wary.
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It is a doorway, not a dead end
Research across many studies found teens who vape are several times more likely to end up smoking cigarettes later. What feels like a one-off habit now can set up a much harder one down the line.
None of this means you have wrecked anything. Bodies and brains recover once the nicotine is gone, and the sooner you stop the more of that you get back. Here is how.
The plan
Five things that actually work.
01
Pick your day
Choose a quit date in the next two weeks and tell a mate. Saying it out loud makes it real, and a friend who knows is a friend who backs you up.
02
Step it down
Going from lots to zero overnight is brutal. Cutting down how often you vape, or dropping the nicotine strength first, makes the final step much smaller.
03
Break the autopilot
Most vaping is habit moments: the walk to school, after food, when you are bored. Spot your moments and swap in something else: water, gum, music, literally anything for your hands.
04
Ride the craving
Cravings feel massive but usually pass in a few minutes. Delay, distract, breathe. Every one you get through makes the next one weaker.
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Slipped up? So what
One vape does not undo your progress. Most people take a few goes to quit anything. Note what triggered it and go again. That is not failing, that is how quitting works.
Get backup
You do not have to do it alone.
Your GP or school nurse can help, free and without judgement, and these are solid places to start. If vaping around school or town is something you think Crawley should be doing more about, tell us and we will take it to the council.
In personYour GP or school nurse, free and confidential
Thinking about stopping? That is already step one.
Speak up
Something worrying you?
Tell a CYPC adult. It could be something you've seen, something happening to you, or something you're just not sure about. You don't have to give your name.
If someone is in danger right now, call 999
You can also call Childline free on 0800 1111, any time of day or night. This form is read by a person, but not instantly.
Please only report things that are true
Reports go to a safeguarding adult and may be passed to the council or the police. Making something up on purpose wastes time that could be helping someone who really needs it, and can be treated seriously — the same way a hoax 999 call is. If you're unsure whether something counts, still tell us; it's guessing wrong that's fine, not making things up.
SAFE
Safeguarding
We take your safety seriously.
Lots of CYPC members and visitors are under 18, so safeguarding isn't small print for us. It means trusted adults, clear rules about your information, and acting properly if we're ever worried about someone. Here's exactly how it works.
How it works
01
Trusted adults
CYPC is supported by Crawley Borough Council. The online chat is monitored by approved adult staff, and when a real person joins your chat they are always clearly labelled CYPC STAFF, never pretending to be the bot.
02
If we're worried about you
If a chat or conversation suggests someone might be at risk, staff follow the council's safeguarding procedure. That can mean talking to you first, and if someone is in danger it can mean sharing information with people whose job is to keep young people safe, like social services. We'd rather have that conversation than stay silent.
03
Your information
The chat only ever holds what you type and, if you choose to give it, a phone number. It's used for safety and support, nothing else, and never sold or shared for any other reason. Want a chat deleted? Email us and it's gone.
04
Talk to us
Worried about yourself or a mate? You can raise it with any CYPC staff member at a meeting, or email us. You won't be judged and you won't be brushed off.
Get help now
People you can always call.
None of these need an adult's permission, none of them cost anything, and all of them have heard it all before. If something's wrong, don't sit on it.
Stay in the loop. Pop your email in and we'll let you know about events and ways to get involved.
TERMS
Terms of service
Terms of service.
These terms cover cypc.co.uk, the CYPC chat, our public polls and questions, the report form, members.cypc.co.uk and the CYPC survey site. By using any of them you agree to these terms. We've written them in plain English so they actually make sense.
Last updated 20 September 2026
The short version
Be kind.No bullying, hate, threats or harassment. Anywhere.
Be honest.Don't give false information, especially in a report.
Keep it clean.Nothing sexual, pornographic, violent or illegal.
Keep it safe.If someone could be at risk, trusted adults may be told.
In full
01
Who we are
CYPC is the Crawley Young Persons Council, a youth voice group for young people aged 11 to 25 in Crawley, supported by the Crawley Borough Council Community Development team. "We" and "us" in these terms means CYPC. You can reach us at [email protected].
02
Who can use it
Anyone can read the public site, answer polls and use the chat. The members portal is only for current CYPC members, organisers and staff who have been given a member key. If you're under 13, please check with a parent or carer before using the chat or giving us any details.
03
How you must behave
You must not post or send anything that is bullying, hateful, threatening, discriminatory, sexual, pornographic, violent, illegal or that shares someone else's private information without their permission. Don't spam, don't pretend to be someone else, and don't try to break, hack or overload any part of the site.
04
Reports and honesty
The report form sends your concern to CYPC's safeguarding lead. You must give your real name and phone number. Knowingly making a false or malicious report, or wasting the time of staff or emergency services, is taken seriously and you may be held accountable for it. If someone is in danger right now, call 999, not the form.
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The chat
The chat is answered first by an AI assistant and is monitored by approved adult staff. When a real person joins they are always labelled CYPC STAFF. The AI can get things wrong, so don't treat it as professional, medical or legal advice. If something you write suggests someone could be at risk, staff follow the council's safeguarding procedure.
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Members portal
Your member key is personal. Don't share it, don't use anyone else's, and tell an organiser straight away if you think someone else has it. Members chat, notes, the inbox and "Who's active" can be seen by organisers, and CYPC mailboxes are moderated. Organisers can remove content, sign out devices and suspend access if these terms are broken.
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Search and the password vault
CYPC Search, the members' private web search engine, has its own rules, including a strict ban on searching for anything pornographic or sexual. You must accept them before you can search. Read the Search rules. The password vault is encrypted with a master password only you know: keep it safe, because if you forget it nobody at CYPC can get your passwords back.
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Your content
Anything you post (poll answers, questions, chat messages, notes, posters) stays yours, but you let CYPC use it to run the council, for example to show poll results or take young people's views to the council. We never sell it. Photos of young people are only used where a consent form has been given.
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If the rules are broken
We can remove content, block a device from the chat, suspend or remove members portal access, and, where someone may be at risk or the law may have been broken, pass information to the safeguarding lead, the council or the police.
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No guarantees
We work hard to keep everything accurate and online, but the sites are run by volunteers and young people, so we can't promise they'll always be available or error free. Links to other websites (like Childline or the council) are for your help; we're not responsible for their content.
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Changes
We may update these terms. The date at the top always shows the latest version. If a change is important, we'll tell members in the portal.
We only collect what we need to run CYPC and keep people safe. We never sell your information and we never use it for adverts. This policy explains exactly what we hold, what it's for and your rights under UK data protection law (UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018).
Last updated 20 September 2026
What we collect
WhereWhat we keepWhy
Visiting the siteWhich page was opened and the hour. No names, no IP addresses, no tracking cookies.To count visits and see which pages help.
ChatYour messages, a random chat ID, and a phone number only if you choose to give one.To answer you and to keep you safe.
Polls & questionsYour answer and a random device code so each device answers once. Not your name.To count views fairly.
Report a concernYour name, phone number, what happened, where, and when.So the safeguarding lead can act and contact you.
Event sign-upsYour name and the contact details you give.To know who's coming and contact you about it.
Email updatesYour email address.To tell you about events. Unsubscribe any time.
Members portalYour name, email (for sign-in codes and mail), sign-in times and device, RSVPs, chat, notes, inbox messages, profile picture and wallpaper.To run the portal and keep accounts secure.
CYPC SearchThat you accepted the search rules, and when. How many web searches and pages you've opened today (numbers only). Your searches themselves are never saved. If a search is blocked under the search rules, your name and the time are recorded, but not what you typed.To keep search safe, fair and inside our monthly limit.
Website requests & Admin CodesYour name, the website, your reason, how long you asked for, and the organiser's decision. If you use an Admin Code: your name, the website, the time and which organiser made the code.So organisers can decide fairly and keep a record of what was unlocked.
Member emailEvery member gets a [email protected] address. Emails sent and received through it are stored so they show in the portal. Organisers can read CYPC email to keep members safe.To give members a safe email address.
Password vaultOnly scrambled (encrypted) data. Your passwords are locked on your device with your master password before anything is sent. We never receive your master password and can't read, recover or reset anything in your vault. If you choose "Autofill", the vault makes an import file for your own device's password manager; it's created on your device and never sent to CYPC. If you turn on a PIN, your device keeps a locked copy of your vault key and CYPC keeps a matching half plus a check value for the PIN (never the PIN itself); neither half can open your vault on its own, and 5 wrong PINs switch it off.So you can keep your passwords in one safe place.
Survey siteYour answers, your school, and a random device code. Not your name.To report what young people think.
How it's handled
01
Who's responsible
CYPC, the Crawley Young Persons Council, supported by Crawley Borough Council. Contact us about your data at [email protected].
02
Our legal reasons
We use your information because it's needed to run CYPC and its services (legitimate interests), because you've agreed to it (for example email updates, or giving a phone number in the chat), or to protect someone's safety (vital interests and safeguarding duties).
03
Who can see it
Only approved CYPC organisers and staff, and the safeguarding lead for reports and concerns. If someone may be at risk, we may share information with Crawley Borough Council, children's services or the police. That's the only time it leaves CYPC.
04
Services we use
Our data is stored in Google (Google Workspace, Sheets and Apps Script). Chat messages are processed by Google's Gemini AI to write replies. Emails are sent through Google and our email provider, Resend. Web searches in CYPC Search are sent to Brave Search by our server, without your name, account or IP address, and results and pages are kept in Google's temporary memory for up to 30 minutes to make search faster. Reader view (the default) is fetched by our server, including the page's pictures, so the website doesn't see your device at all. If a website won't let our server in, the page address (never your name) is passed to Jina Reader, a service that loads the page and returns a clean copy. In Live view, the page's pictures, videos and code load straight from the website, so that website can see your device's internet address, as with normal browsing. The site is hosted by Tiiny Host. Fonts load from Google Fonts. These companies process data for us and aren't allowed to use it for their own purposes.
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Stored on your device
We save a few small settings in your browser: a random device code, your text-size choice, and which polls you've answered. Members also get a sign-in key and, unless they turn it off or use Incognito, their recent searches. None of it is used for tracking or adverts, and clearing your browser removes it.
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How long we keep it
Only as long as we need it. Members' accounts are removed when they leave CYPC. Email sign-ups are deleted when you unsubscribe. Safeguarding records are kept for as long as the council's safeguarding procedure requires.
07
Photos
We only publish photos of young people when a consent form has been given. If you want a photo of you taken down, email us and we'll remove it.
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Your rights
You can ask to see the information we hold about you, correct it, delete it, or object to how we use it. Email [email protected] and we'll reply within one month. Some safeguarding records can't be deleted if we need them to keep someone safe.
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Complaints
If you're unhappy with how we've handled your information, tell us first. You can also complain to the Information Commissioner's Office at ico.org.uk or on 0303 123 1113.
CYPC Search is a private search engine for CYPC members. It searches the web (like Google), images and news, and it also searches CYPC's own meetings, notices, members chat, notes, votes and people. Before anyone can use it, they must accept these rules.
Last updated 20 September 2026
By searching, you confirm that
01
No pornographic searches
You will not search for anything pornographic, sexual or sexually explicit, including nudity, sexual acts, adult websites, or any sexual content involving anyone under 18. This applies to every word, spelling, slang term and trick spelling.
02
Nothing harmful or illegal
You will not use search to find or target people, to bully or harass anyone, or to look for anything violent, hateful or illegal.
03
SafeSearch is always on
Web results come from Brave Search with SafeSearch locked to its strictest setting. On top of that, CYPC removes known adult websites and any result containing pornographic or sexual words. None of this can be switched off, by members or organisers.
04
Blocked words
Search automatically blocks pornographic and sexual words, including trick spellings. When a search is blocked, you'll see a warning, no results are shown, and your name and the time are recorded for organisers to see. What you typed is not recorded.
05
Fair use
Web search has a daily limit per member and a monthly limit for all of CYPC, set by organisers. Organisers can also block particular websites, switch web search off for members, or switch search off for one person.
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What happens if you break them
Organisers can switch search off for you or for everyone, suspend your portal access, and, if there's a safeguarding worry, tell the safeguarding lead. Anything that could put a young person at risk is always reported.
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Your privacy
CYPC never saves what you search and nobody at CYPC can see it. Web searches are sent to Brave Search by CYPC's server, so Brave never gets your name, your account or your IP address. CYPC only keeps a count of how many searches each member makes that day, to apply the daily limit. To make search faster, results and pages are held in temporary memory for up to 30 minutes and then deleted automatically; they're never linked to your name. Recent searches are kept only on your own device, and you can clear them, turn them off, or use Incognito so nothing from that session is kept.
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If you need help
If you search something that suggests you or someone else isn't safe, search shows Childline (0800 1111), Samaritans (116 123), Shout (text SHOUT to 85258), 999 and the Report button. Searches about suicide or self-harm show only this help, never web results. You will never get in trouble for asking for help.
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Opening websites inside CYPC
Results open inside CYPC. Reader view is the default and the private one: CYPC's server fetches the whole page for you, pictures included (with help from the Jina Reader service for sites that block servers), so the website never sees your device. No ads, no trackers. Pages with adult content are blocked before they reach you. Live view shows the whole working website inside CYPC, with its own code running in a sealed-off window and links going back through CYPC's filters. Because the site loads directly in Live view, it can see your device's internet address, as with normal browsing, so Reader view is the private choice. Organisers can switch Live view off so everyone only gets Reader view.
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Blocked websites, requests and Admin Codes
If a website is blocked you'll see a CYPC blocked page saying why. If organisers blocked it, or it was blocked by mistake, you can ask for access (say why and for how long) or enter an Admin Code an organiser gives you in person. Access is only for you, only for that website, and only for the time allowed. Adult websites can never be unlocked, by anyone. Organisers can see requests, who unlocked what and when, and can take access away.
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Other websites
Results link to websites CYPC doesn't run. SafeSearch is very good but not perfect. If something inappropriate gets through, close it and tell an organiser or use the Report tab so it can be blocked.
