A ST HELENS girl is taking the first steps on a path which could see her sitting in The House of Commons.

Stephanie White from Haydock has been elected as the St Helens representative on the national Youth Parliament.

More than 50 local young people voted in the UK Youth Parliament elections at The Citadel Arts Centre earlier in the month when 10 teenagers stood for election.

Stephanie's deputies will be 18-year-old Claire Shaw from Dentons Green who attends Cowley Sixth Form Language College and Rachel Wilson, 15, of Rainhill who is a pupil at The Hamblett School. The Youth Parliament is an independent body and its members do not represent a party political view.

St Cuthbert's Catholic High School pupil Stephanie, a volunteer for PSS St Helens Young Carers, will attend local and national meetings where she will be the voice of young people across the Borough.

During the next year she will also work closely with the local young people's group FORUM X which organises events for young people in partnership with St Helens Youth Service and Connexions and will be involved in setting up Youth Area Forums which will give youngsters the chance to air their views.

Stephanie said: "I want to express all young people's views by listening to them and then taking positive action and to support them in making St Helens a safer and happier place in which to live. This will involve raising issues which affect young people such as drugs and alcohol and what makes teenagers feel unhappy and in need of help.

"Hopefully, as part of the Youth Parliament, I will be able to encourage adults locally and nationally to listen and understand the views of young people across the Borough".

The Youth Service will be holding an event for young people in March about setting up area Youth Forums. The date and venue will be advertised at a later date.

For more information about the youth forums or FORUM X please contact Youth Service Personal Adviser Karen Little on 01744 675651.