Young people in Ceredigion have helped to create a video to raise awareness of the dangers of vaping.

The video is a result of a concerted effort by the Ceredigion County Council’s Community Youth Work and Prevention Team, Dyfed-Powys Police Intact, and Barod Substance Misuse teams, in collaboration with youngsters.

They produced the video with Carlam, a production company, and a selection of young people from the Project Pathways Programme.

The programme is designed as an early intervention scheme for 11-16-year-olds.

Participants were divided into groups to devise a storyboard, reflecting their apprehensions about youths choosing to vape.

With the storyboard set, actors and film crew were called in to turn the ideas into a short film, aimed to be a learning resource in secondary schools and colleges.

Participant Zuzanna, was elated with the project. She said: "I feel proud that I was involved in the video; I hope this will raise awareness of the dangers to teenagers."

Similarly, Gwenllian Morris, Ceredigion team manager for Community Youth Work & Prevention, said: "Having worked alongside the team to manage and deliver such a project has been a privilege.

"I’m proud to have worked with the team to create this inspiring and contemporary film that highlights a cause of concern within our society."

Councillor Wyn Thomas, Ceredigion's cabinet member for lifelong learning and skills, applauded the efforts of the Youth Work Team, saying: "We are well aware of the vulnerability of young people to substance misuse, and vaping is rapidly becoming a major problem.

"The Youth Team have worked with young people in producing this film and therefore its content is more relevant to educating young people on the problems associated with vaping.

"The Youth Work Team are to be commended for their efforts in working with the youth of today on issues that may be harmful to their health and wellbeing."

Vaping, particularly amongst young people, has been attracting negative press recently, with the Children and Young People Vaping Incident Response Group Report calling for stricter regulations and public health initiatives to counteract a rapid surge in youth vaping.

The Pathways Programme, under the direction of the Community Youth Work and Prevention Team, regularly collaborates with schools, focusing on the challenges of improving engagement with hard-to-reach young people.

By conducting weekly, multi-agency meetings, Pathways hopes to lessen offending and reduce the risk of exploitation in the community.