Welcome to #YouthVoice News and Opportunities – a regular roundup from the world of youthvoice, participation and influence
This week: New Zealand Youth Parliament speeches censored? | Centre4YouthVoice to get new host | Youthvoice heard on Tobacco & Vaping Bill | Laura Lundy new resource..| #Votesat1y6Watch new updates (international) …plus lots of opportunities thanks to Youth Opportunities co-founded by Molly Taylor and Rorey Scriven | YouthVoice News is produced by Young Voices Heard CIC as a non-profit venture, and edited by a volunteer.
YOUTHVOICE HEARD – NEWS
⚡ New Zealand Youth MPs accuse government of ‘censoring’ them. Ministry says otherwise | RNZ News 1st July 2025. Watch a report from an online New Zealand news channel which interviewed a number of young MPs. (Cover picture NZ Youth Parliament 2022) The Ministry for Youth Development administers the New Zealand Youth Parliament.An article in RNZ News reports that the government rejects “accusations it is censoring Youth MPs, planning to speak in their annual sitting in Parliament, saying that “the protocols followed are the same as 2022 and the young people get the final say on their speeches” … Some of the Youth MPs involved say they “will not be suppressed and the issue has fuelled the fire to make their voices heard”. The articles goes on to say “Ministry of Youth Development general manager John Robertson said the feedback provided on the Youth MPs’ speeches (which had to be submitted in advance) was “generally focused on supporting them to convey their arguments clearly and effectively, and in keeping with the non-partisan approach of Youth Parliament. We also advised some Youth MPs that changes were required to their speeches to avoid putting themselves at risk. Youth MPs are not protected by parliamentary privilege. This means young people could be held liable if the contents of their speech raise concerns around defamation, copyright, privacy, contempt of court, or broadcasting standards.”
Comment: What can we learn from this experience as we await the outcome of the Youth Strategy and next steps in NYAs consultation and planning for a replacement British Youth Council? The UK Youth Parliament (hosted at NYA) has only one year to run until Mar 2025 and its future will also be under review. The British Youth Council and UKYP used to be independent charities and were able to express their views freely, including campaigning during elections (within the usual Electoral Commission guidance, and other limits around libel, incitement etc). But to what extent are young people constrained in what they say to decision makers in the democratic space when they are also dependent on Govt for funding and access to decision-makers? UK Youth Parliament is now a Govt tendered service, and a future BYC might be more dependent on Govt funding for core funding which might only be agreed with conditions, unless an arms length agreement is established and support for speech-writing if offered independently with legal advice.
⚡Our Future Our Voice – Children’s Commissioner (England) launches new Youth Voice Forum “Today I’m launching my Youth Voices Forum to hear from more children across England, to share opportunities and give them the chance to share their views about the issues they care about to influence my work & shape the direction of government policy. https://lnkd.in/eA54p8rk “The Youth Voices Forum is for any child across England aged over 13. Parents and people who work with children can also sign up. Every month members of the forum will receive newsletters sharing the work of our office. Young people and parents/carers will have the chance to take part in The Big Conversation Survey where they can tell me what they think needs to change to make England the best place to be a child. They can also get their friends and peers to take part by having their say in The Big Conversation Survey and signing up to join the Youth Voices Forum. These ideas feed into the policy and research work conducted by my office. We will also share opportunities from government departments and other public bodies for young people to have their say around issues that may affect them.” Comment – looks just like an agenda that a national youth council could adopt. How will Governments new Youth (voice) Strategy integrate/relate to this development and how will it sit alongside a revived national Youth Council being planned? Are the four Childrens’ Commissioners part of that conversations? Ed/JC
⚡UK Youth Poll 2025 – John Smith Centre & Video of findings in case the you missed it. (published April covering a poll in Feb 2025 and interviews prior to that) In the light of the fact that DCMS are about to publish an interim Youth Strategy report which will hopefully announce some changes to how young people are heard by decision-making going forward (nationally and locally) here is a link again to the John Smith Centre UK wide poll of youth views. Its comprehensive and covers those aged 16-29. The views of 16 and 17 years are sometime different from older age groups – something Votesat16 stakeholders, and politicians could do well to take note of ….
⚡Centre of Youth Voice new host will be announced later this week – according to a post in LinkedIn by outgoing Executive Director of its host the YMCA George Williams College, Bethnia McNeil Following its closure the National Lottery announced that it would continue to fund the Centre for at least a final year of its existing contract with a new provider. Bethia said “that the new host would be announced later this week” (by 5th July) and will set out “.. plans to release the latest report on Observatory data, and the new self-reflection framework”. Watch this space for updates.
⚡ Partnership for Young London amplifying #youthvoice on Tabacco and Vapping Bill “A Breath of Fresh Air : A Smoke Free Future”: “We’re proud to launch our latest report exploring young people’s and senior stakeholders’ views on the Tobacco and Vapes Bill. Over the past year, young Londoners have taken the lead – shaping conversations, gathering data, and challenging assumptions about youth smoking and vaping government policies. From roundtables to focus groups, their voices are clear: they want a healthier, fairer future”.
Key findings: 66.7% of young people support the UK Tobacco and Vapes Bill. Strong calls for education, support services, and targeted youth outreach. Shared commitment across generations to reduce addiction and promote wellbeing. We’re grateful to our partners at NHS London, the London Tobacco Alliance, and our brilliant peer researchers for making this possible. This is what youth-led, systems-informed research looks like in action. Find out more about the Young People’s Stop Smoking and Vaping Advisory Board.
Comment – with the demise of the British Youth Council fewer topical projects are getting national profile but local youth voice on issues that affect young people are still highlighted at a regional and local level – such as Vaping which has had a lot of ‘adult’ coverage recently. This informative report sheds light on what young peoples views are. I hope that any new national voice vehicle ensures two way communication with decision-makers and the media informs and influences the public and legislative debate. Ed/JC
Laura Lundy New Resource
⚡ Twelve Myths About Participation. Laura Lundy has recently posted this handy 12 point deck resource on common misconceptions around youthvoice and participation.
Youth Policy Development Group returns – Opportunity
If you are a young person yourself, or you know or work with people aged 14-25 who care about their voice being heard in national policy-making, please check out this amazing opportunity from Shout Out UK in partnership with the Paul Hamlyn Foundation! We’re looking for 20 passionate individuals to join our Youth Policy Development Group. Apply via the following survey link: https://lnkd.in/evTiVY6a Deadline: 📅 20th July Comment: Young Voices Heard was a previous partner with ShoutOutUK which designed and developed a successful proposal of the same name to set up such a group in response to a DCMS tender – which subsequently advised and informed various Govt policy initiatives between 2021-2023. This version still aims to “provide feedback and recommendations to politicians at all levels of government, ensuring that young people’s views are considered in policy development and decision making” and I strongly recommend it. Ed/JC
Votes at 16 Watch
⚡Votes at 16 Watch – news since Jan 25 can be found on the main Votesat16 Watch column on the main landing page of the http://www.YoungVoicesHeard.org.uk home page. YOUNG VOICES HEARD – CONSULTANCY, SHARING GOOD PRACTICE, SUPPORT SERVICES
⚡Votes at 16 International – 18th June Webinar. The Votes at 16 Meeting (hosted by the Politics Project monthly) invited representatives from Votes16 campaigns in USA, Canada and New Zealand and Europe, to join UK based campaigners for a good practice exchange. USA Vote16USA – Empowering the Youth Vote in America and their report Young People at the Ballot Box 2024; CanadaVotesat16Statement; New Zealand Make it 16 NZ, and Europe Website with lots of information about how to run a campaign to lower the voting age Campaign booklet
TIMETABLE: JUNE 2025 V16 minutes – lobbying begins; JULY2025 Lobbying workshop for young people on 1 July; v.16 day of action on 4th July – young people contacting MPs; AUTUMN2025 – v.16 activations hosted across the UK, including at our annual Next GenConference; v.16 Parliamentary Event; Aiming to get Votes at16 in the King’s Speech; WINTER25/26: Roundtables with policymakers, DemocracyCafé Roadshow across the UK for young people. SUMMER2026: Continued in-person and digital activations, Aiming for legislation to be passed by the end of the session
- ⚡Be Seen, Be Heard – Former Joint campaign with The Body Shop and UN Youth Office (in the UK was a partnership with the British Youth Council until its closure in 2024). Their research-backed strategy produced this which is shared as a potential resource – Report from The Body Shop/UN Youth Office.
YOUTH OPPORTUNITIES – Editors pick…Youth Opportunities 30th June edition | LinkedIn “for young people, curated by young people”. Below is just a selection of over 20 opportunities that relate to #youthvoice Advisory Board roles – but check out the full issue for lots more – and subscribe!
Youth Voice Ambassadors (uniformed groups)
⚡Youth Voice Ambassadors (Heritage) Young Voices Heard Recommended Opportunity. We have been partners with the Youth United Foundation 2021 and Heritage England since 2019, designing, delivering and advising on youth voice and project management for this partnership across uniformed organisations. Ed/JC Do you ➡️ Have experience as part of a UK uniformed youth group (as a young person or young leader). ➡️ Are aged 18-25. ➡️ Care about heritage and/or making a positive impact. ➡️ Want to help make sure Youth Voice stays central to the project. ➡️ Can give up to 15 hours this year (with quarterly online group calls likely in the evening). The Youth United Foundation – Heritage Youth Partnership is recruiting paid young Ambassadors for 25/26. Full Details of the role and opportunity here and apply here. Deadline 6th July
Advisory Boards -YVH pick..
⚡Girl Guiding UK is looking for a passionate member aged 18–27 to become a Non-Executive Director on its Trading Board. This voluntary role (around 8–10 days a year for up to 3 years) is a great chance to develop leadership skills, gain board experience, and help shape the strategy of Girlguiding’s trading company, which supports the movement through retail and operations. No prior board experience is needed—just curiosity, enthusiasm, and a desire to make a difference. Apply here by 9am, Friday 4 July 2025.
⚡The Careers & Enterprise Company or CEC is the national body for careers education in England, supporting schools and colleges to deliver modern, 21st century careers education. CEC is looking to recruit a Youth Advisory Group (YAG) that reflects the diversity of young people across England, aged 14–25. Apply by 7th July here.
⚡UNESCO SDG4 Youth & Student Network 16-30? Applications are open for the 2026–2027 , a global platform for young leaders passionate about advancing quality education (SDG4). Members, aged 16–30, will contribute to education policy, advocacy, and innovation, and serve as youth representatives on the SDG4 High-Level Steering Committee. The two-year term starts in January 2026, with onboarding from October 2025. Applicants must be active in a youth or student organisation related to education and free from conflicts of interest. Deadline: 10 July 2025 (midnight Paris time) Apply here
⚡Children in Scotland is inviting young people aged 8 to 22 to join its youth advisory group, Changing Our World. This group plays a vital role in shaping the organisation’s work by sharing experiences and perspectives on issues that matter to children and young people. Members participate in regular meetings—both online and in person—collaborate on projects, contribute to policy development, and engage with decision-makers. Recent initiatives have included co-chairing the annual conference, developing a paper on education and learning, and meeting with government ministers to discuss youth health concerns. This is a voluntary role with no salary, but it offers valuable experience and the opportunity to make a meaningful impact. Applications are open until 14 July 2025.
⚡Inclusion Scotland is recruiting Deaf and disabled people, along with unpaid carers, to join their People-Led Policy Panel (PLPP) to influence social care policies alongside the Scottish Government, empowering participants to develop new skills, build connections, and drive meaningful change in policy development. This is a mixed age group panel but applications are particularly welcome from “Young people or young carers aged 18-28 who use adult social care support or have supported someone who uses adult social care support from a young age.” Find out more here. Applications should be sent to info@inclusionscotland.org by Wednesday 16 July 2025
Trustee positions
Interested in becoming a trustee? Only 3% of trustees are under the age of 30. Find under-30 friendly trustee boards through Young Trustees Movement
VoiceBox | By young people, for young people
“The international content platform by young people for young people. Create content on the topics you care about and get paid!” VoiceBox is an international youth-led content platform and social enterprise, whose mission is to amplify the voices of young people around the world. We feature a wide variety of topics and formats of content from people aged 13-25. Become a paid content creator
RESOURCES
For YVH recommended resources go to the http://www.YoungVoiceHeard.org.uk main website / RESOURCES, or browse back issues of #YouthVoiceNews