IOPC Youth Panel Showcase 2026

The IOPC Youth Panel hosted their Annual Showcase 2026 (on 28 April) bringing together youth-led evidence, practical solutions and partners committed to creating a police service and a police complaints system that communities can all trust. 

We welcomed 60+ senior leaders and decision-makers from across policing and partner organisations. The day reflected the breadth of the panel’s evidence base, including peer-to-peer research and engagement with more than 1,800 young people and four annual surveys since 2022 capturing 8,000+ young voices (including 1,586 responses this year).

The showcase reflected the panel’s recent move to go beyond raising awareness and into practical influencing, connecting youth insight directly to decision-making, policy and practice.

The Youth Panel brought the latest annual survey findings to life, including that 66% of young people said they trust the police in their area and 68% felt they are treated fairly. However, only 40% said they would know how to make a complaint and only 20% had heard of the IOPC. They highlighted the gap between willingness and confidence in the system, 68% said they would be willing to make a complaint, but only 28% thought it would make a difference.

The Youth Panel hosted a Youth-led Systems Change panel discussion, before delegates worked with panel members to shape ideas for how the sector can implement their 2030 Manifesto for Change and pledged support to continue that work.

They launched their Theory of Influencing model for how youth voice becomes real change. Their approach is credible, grounded in peer-to-peer evidence; authentic - honest conversations rooted in lived experience; inclusive - bringing in diverse young people and accessible methods; and adaptive - reflecting and evolving over time. This combination is designed to create impact — raise awareness, build partnerships and commitments, and shift systems and practice.

Another key moment during the panel discussion was where speakers explored what “good” youth participation looks like in practice. What helps organisations share power? What gets in the way, and how to turn insight into delivery. The focus on what good looked like often returned to the work of the Youth Panel, specifically Kim Baker CYP lead from the College of Policing, who spoke about the experience of taking part in the "Recommendation to Reality" roundtable. This focused on the right to complain and achieved specific outcomes for the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC). They included updated guidance to all custody suites to adopt the Youth Panel recommendation relating to verbally informing all children and young people of their right to give feedback, including complaints while in custody.

Alex Finn of Your Police spoke about the innovative collaboration between the Youth Panel and the Your Police Youth Advisory Group using the Discord platform to do a month-long engagement on trauma informed policing.

Delegate feedback from across the room was strongly positive, with partners pledging support to work alongside the Youth Panel as they continue delivering the 2030 Manifesto for Change.

Thank you to everyone who supported the event and contributed on the day. You can also read more about their recent Recommendations into Reality roundtable.