Chante Joseph, 15, is one of 11 teenagers which make up the Youth Select Committee

A member of Brent Youth Parliament has been selected to sit on a newly-formed committee supported by the House of Commons.

Chante Joseph, 15, has been handpicked to be one of 11 teenagers which make up the Youth Select Committee (YSC).

The panel, which was launched by the British Youth Council (BYC) yesterday (Tuesday), gives young people the opportunity to scrutinise and hold enquiries in to topics they’re interested in.

The group’s first inquiry, in July, will look at public transport – as identified as a priority by members of the BYC and UK Youth Parliament last year.

Chante, a pupil at The Crest Girls’ Academy in Crest Road, Neasden, was elected as BYP’s UK Youth Parliament representative in January.

She said: “I am delighted to be a member of the first ever Youth Select Committee inquiry on transport.

“I’m interested in finding out how decisions are made that affect young people inside the transport sector and am committed to making a difference by being on this project.”

BYC recruited the committee members to represent a geographical, age and interest spread from across the UK, and arranged their induction and training.

The charity will continue to support the group’s research and the calling of witnesses, throughout the first inquiry.

Dara Farrell, 18, Chair of the YSC and vice-chair of the BYC, said: “We are really pleased to have Chante on the Youth Select Committee.

“This is a really exciting opportunity for young people to become more actively involved in Parliament – not just campaigning on the outside, but actually coming inside and actively influencing decision making.”

For more information about BYC visit www.byc.org.uk.