Torfaen Youth Forum welcomed new members when it met for the first time following the summer holidays. 
 
The group, which is made up of representatives from local secondary schools and colleges, met at Civic Centre in Pontypool, where they discussed this year's Welsh Youth Parliament elections, a new anti-racist action plan and plans to engage other young people.
 
Members said they wanted to focus on issues including mental health services, equality in education, bullying, jobs for under 18-year-olds and litter. 
 
Grace, 11, from St Alban's RC High School, said: "I wanted to join the forum because I wanted to try something new and meet new people."
 
Izzie, 11, also from St Alban's, said: "I want to learn more about what the council does and to try something new."
 
Several forum members said they were planning to stand in the Welsh Youth Parliament elections, which take place on Monday November 25.
 
Anyone aged between 11 and 17 can register as a candidate, with successful members standing for two years. For more information, visit the youth parliament web page.
 
The Torfaen Youth Forum is open to young people, aged between 11 and 18. Anyone interested can contact their school's participation lead or Philip Wilson, Torfaen Council's children and young people's engagement and participation officer, at philip.wilson@torfaen.gov.uk
 
The group meets after school once a month. Transport and food are provided and the group is planning a social trip later in the year.  
 
A separate junior forum for primary school pupils is being launched next month.  
 
Both forums will be part of a new Torfaen Youth Alliance due to meeting in November, which aims to represent the voices of all young people's groups in the borough.