Around 200 young people attended the event, which was organised by the Cardiff Young People's Forum, at the Old Library in the Hayes.

Youth worker Phil Watkins at a previous event

Aimed at anyone between 11 and 25, the conference set out to encourage young people that they can make a difference and shape the world around them.

Organisers from the council's youth service have said it is a positive move, after recent heavy criticism for the council's social services department.

Co-ordinator Julia Rooney said she had been trying to create links between her department and the social services division.

"It is an opportunity for young people not only to be asked by the council about the services on offer, but for them to have an input on these services," she said.

Ms Rooney said that the event was well-attended and that feedback had been very positive.

"The young people all said they had learnt things, and we reckon over 180 have filled in registration forms," she said.

Empowering youth

The idea for the conference came from members of the Young People's Forum, because they wanted to let more people know about the scheme.

A range of arts and issue-based workshops were on offer.

Young people could choose to attend workshops on DJ skills, Brazilian dance and T-shirt printing or attend discussions on the issues of substance misuse and sexual health.

Another workshop, called the Bigger Picture, highlighted a Welsh Assembly drive to encourage young people across Wales to share their opinions.

Twenty-one year-old Jody Grant, from St Mellons in Cardiff, ran the sexual health workshops, is a member of the Young People's Forum.

"It has been a good day. The forum is a very worthwhile organisation," she said.

The conference is the first to be held, but it could become an annual event.