A powerful exhibition revealing how young people perceive safety and their sense of community in St Helens has gone on display this week as part of a Photovoice Showcase led by the Merseyside Violence Reduction Partnership (MVRP).

Delivered in partnership with St Helens Borough Council’s Youth Justice Service (YJS) and the Young Person’s Drug and Alcohol Team (YPDAAT), the event brings together the young people behind the imagery with senior leaders including Merseyside’s Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner, Cllr Jeanie Bell, Cllr Nova Charlton, St Helens Council Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, and the Mayor of St Helens, Cllr Seve Gomez-Aspron, to discuss their experiences and the stories behind the photographs.

The showcase, in St Helens Town Centre, features striking photographic work created by 12–17 year olds engaged with YJS and YPDAAT, many of whom face complex challenges in their daily lives but embraced the opportunity to take part in something creative, positive and empowering.

Using disposable cameras and guided by trained practitioners, participants captured powerful visual stories exploring key questions about safety, community perceptions, and their hopes for change.

The showcase gives the young people a platform to highlight their work, share their perspectives, and discuss their own ambitions for their local area.

Merseyside’s Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner, Jeanie Bell said:- “This showcase is a powerful reminder of what happens when we give young people the space, support, and confidence to share their experiences in their own words and through their own creativity. The images captured through Photovoice offer a unique and honest insight into how young people see their communities, what makes them feel safe, and where they want to see change. I’m incredibly proud of every young person who has taken part, and I’m grateful to the dedicated teams in St Helens for creating such a meaningful opportunity. Their voices will help shape the work of local partners, and I look forward to seeing this project rolled out across Merseyside in the year ahead.”

17 year old Rhys, from Blackbrook, took part in the Photovoice project:- “There are places in our community that don’t always feel safe, but there are also many places where we feel comfortable and at ease. Sometimes we feel ignored. A lot of the time you don’t feel like the people with the power to change things are listening to you and by taking part in this project you feel that something might change for the better.”

Sharon Brownlow, Youth Justice Lead, Merseyside Violence Reduction Partnership said:- “This Photovoice pilot is an important step in understanding the real experiences of young people across Merseyside. By giving them a platform to speak through creativity and visual storytelling, we’re gaining insights that traditional approaches often miss. The perspectives shared by these young people will directly inform partners at the highest level, helping drive meaningful change across our region, helping shape how we expand this work across the remaining Merseyside boroughs, ensuring every young person’s voice has a place in shaping safer, healthier communities, as we aim to build a system that truly listens to young people and responds to their lived realities."

Councillor Nova Charlton, St Helens Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said:- “The voices of our young people are vital in shaping the future of St Helens. Through Photovoice, young people have been able to share their realities with honesty and creativity, helping us better understand the challenges they face and the changes they want to see. I am incredibly proud of every young person who has taken part. Their insight will directly influence how we design and deliver services, ensuring that decisions made at a senior level reflect their lived experiences. I want to thank the teams across Youth Justice Service, YPDAAT, and our partners for creating this opportunity. It’s a fantastic example of how we can work together to build safer, more supportive communities for every young person in our borough."

This pilot initiative will inform ongoing decision‑making across St Helens, with the project’s findings set to become a standing agenda item at future YJS Partnership Board meetings.

The MVRP aims to replicate the project across the remaining four Merseyside boroughs over the next 12 months.