HUW URGES LOCAL YOUNG PEOPLE TO “MAKE YOUR MARK”
29.09.2015 For immediate release: Huw joined 100 Members of Parliament to back the Make Your Mark campaign outside Parliament.
‘Make Your Mark’ is an annual ballot of young people living in the UK. The ballot will contain 10 policies voted for by Members of Youth Parliament including poverty, mental health, curriculum, climate change and votes at 16 and have reflected their election pledges in local elections across the UK. The campaign will see Members and Volunteer Campaigners across the country, inviting young people in schools and youth clubs to take this opportunity to have their say to Government and society.
This year’s campaign, supported by the NCS (National Citizen Service), aims to reach 1 million young people and break last year’s record 876,488 young people taking part. The ballot will contain 10 policies that address the key issues facing young people in the UK, which Members of Youth Parliament have championed and shaped on behalf of local constituencies.
The aim is to bring these issues to the attention of Government Ministers, including the Minister for Civil Society / and Youth Policy who will attend and reply on behalf of the Government. The Commons debate will be chaired by The Rt Hon John Bercow MP, Speaker of the House of Commons, who recently opened the UK Youth Parliament in Exeter at its Annual Sitting (which meets alternately outside London). Young members will then walk through the division lobbies to vote on what should be a become their priority campaigns for 2015/16. In previous years they have chosen Living Wage, Votes at 16, Education and Transport and Mental Health.
Young people can take part in the consultation by visiting: www.ukyouthparliament.org.uk/makeyourmark
Huw Merriman said “It’s so important that young people have their say. I’ve visited a lot of local schools since being elected as MP and have always been impressed by the opinions of young people and the challenging questions they have for me. Young people clearly care about their local communities and national issues. This campaign gives them the opportunity to have their voices heard and I would urge them to take part.”
James Cathcart, Chief Executive of the British Youth Council, which manages the UK Youth Parliament and the campaign said: “This is the biggest youth ballot in the UK and Europe – when over a million are expected to ask the Government to listen to their concerns. Young people do care, are active, want change – and have something to say. Let’s listen. It’s great that nearly 100 MPs are supporting this launch from across parties. We ask that they will also take the results seriously and debate the issues in Parliament.”
Minhaz Abedin, Member of Youth Parliament for Leeds said: “This is a huge opportunity for young people to have their voice heard! For too long politicians have ignored the voice of young people but now we have a platform they can’t ignore. The more voices we canvas and listen to, the harder it’ll be for anyone to ignore us. I can't wait to see the chamber packed with MYPs that are there with one purpose; to voice the opinion of young people.”
This year’s Youth Parliament, which itself was elected in local elections by 100,000s teenagers, is expected to be one of the most diverse collection of representatives to sit on the green benches ever - with representation for women, ethnic minorities, and faiths. The young elected reps, aged 12-18, include many facing the very day to day challenges that their campaigns seek to address.