Ethnic groups to air their views

A crowd at a Cardiff rally against racism in July

The concerns of young people from minority ethnic backgrounds will be heard in a new group set up by the Welsh Assembly Government.

It follows meetings between ministers and representatives of such communities after the London bombings.

Younger people have complained they are isolated, vulnerable to abuse and have nowhere to air their views.

They are being invited to join the group, which could get together for the first time in September.

It's always our parents' generation who get approached Sadia Malik

The Minority Ethnic Younger People's Forum is being set up on the recommendation of a group known as the Wales Resilience Forum, which first met after the July London attacks.

Sadia Malik, 24, a Cardiff-based family health worker, backed the idea, although she had reservations about its effectiveness.

"It's always our parents' generation who get approached," she said.

"Maybe younger people would be more ready to speak out.

"Rather them than some people who might say what they think people want them to say."

But Ms Malik, a former teacher's aide at Fitzalan High School, in Cardiff, said: "Whether anything comes out of it I don't know. People will be aware of different opinions, but we knew that already."

'Fear and alienation'

The Wales Resilience Forum was told about concern at the lack of a platform for young people from minority ethnic communities.

The first meeting next month will agree the remit of the group and its membership.

Many young people in our minority ethnic communities feel... feel that they are viewed with suspicion and hostility Minister Edwina Hart

Ministers say members will ask "young people on how they would want the forum to develop, what are the key issues they would want to discuss, and what the assembly can do to make their inclusion into civic society more effective."

They say the group will also examine specific issues such as "education, health, employment, racial harassment and extremism".

Social Justice Minister Edwina Hart said the London attacks had given fresh impetus to the drive towards "community cohesion and good race relations".

She added: "We are determined to make Wales a country in which all sections of the community can be proud to live in together and respect each other's cultures, religions, and languages.

"It is clear from the many discussions we have held in the past few weeks that many young people in our minority ethnic communities feel increasingly vulnerable to racial abuse and feel that they are viewed with suspicion and hostility by some sections of the population.

"Our consistent message has been that we do not, and will not, tolerate racial abuse resulting from the events in London directed against minority communities."