Barking and Dagenham Council's Trading Standards team took a step toward community engagement by hosting an interactive training session with a large group of young people from the borough.

The event was part of a wider recruitment drive aimed at involving young people in the essential work of Trading Standards—particularly through underage test purchasing, a key tool in protecting residents from illegal sales and safeguarding public health.

More than 20 enthusiastic young people attended the session, where they learned how their involvement can help protect residents from illegal sales and unsafe products.

The training covered the wide-ranging responsibilities of Trading Standards, including test purchasing operations, tackling counterfeit and unsafe goods, investigating rogue traders and scams, and ensuring accuracy in weights and measures.

Councillor Syed Ghani, Cabinet Member for Enforcement and Community Safety said: “This initiative not only raises awareness of the important work that Trading Standards do but also inspires the young people to get into positive behaviours and take an active role in safeguarding their peers and the wider community.”

For many attendees, it was their first introduction to the work Trading Standards do, however the response was overwhelmingly positive. Every participant expressed interest in volunteering, and all took home parental consent forms to begin supporting operations during the summer and school holidays.