YOUNG people from across Monmouthshire opened up on issues including knife crime and the environment at a special event to mark National Democracy Week.
At Monmouth Shire Hall attendees discussed the issues they felt were most important to them, as documented in a recent youth study called Make Your Mark.
More than 2,700 children took part in Monmouthshire.
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While at a local and UK level the environment was the top issue, across Wales it emerged fear of knife crime is a growing concern for children and young people.
The results of the Make Your Mark survey will be debated at an event in December, where young people will decide what actions need to take place to try and to tackle the issues that are important to them.
At the Shire Hall, the children also took part in workshops to discuss how their voices could be heard.
They said there was a need to engage young people who are sometimes not keen to speak out but have valuable views and opinions.
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