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.
06
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.
03
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.
04
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.
05
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.
05
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.
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.
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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.
