Babbasa visited the Mayor of the West of England Combined Authority (WECA), Tim Bowles.

The lunch and discussion on Monday, June 17 was an opportunity for our young people to understand the Mayor’s role in the region and his career journey, for those that were interested in working in politics.

Mr. Bowles also explained some of the ambitions that WECA has moving forward, including its Employment and Skills Plan – The combined authority has a budget of over £1 billion to pump into the region over the next 30 years.

Our young people were given a chance to share some of their views on the key issues in the region and provide feedback on things that they felt needed investment.

One of our youth ambassadors, Jeril said: “I thought it was very informative and eye-opening listening to the views of my peers, and their take on politics and the issues of society such as crime and drug usage.”

Tim Bowles said: “It was a real privilege to welcome the Babbasa Trailblazers to the West of England Combined Authority offices to hear their ideas for future businesses and how we can support young people across the region to fulfil their potential.

“I really enjoyed talking with such an engaged group of creative young minds.

“It reinforced my view of how important it is to inspire young people and excite them about the opportunities available to them in our region.

“I would like to thank Babbasa and their mentors for the important work they do in giving our young people the confidence and support to achieve their ambitions.”