Feb12020 by EditorNo Comments
Votes at 16: Parked, paused, what next?

Votes at 16: Parked, paused, what next?

Democracy, Young Voices Heard
Votes at 16: 2020, What next for this long-running campaign?  ‘Votes at 16’ no longer commands the support of a majority of MPs in the new Parliament.  Yes - Wales has joined Scotland in lowering the local voting age locally, but are General Election campaigners facing five years 'parked' in Parliament? Are young people in this age group now prioritising action on climate change, mental health and knife-crime over the right to vote? After all, Greta Thunberg has shown that even if you are too young to vote you are not too young to be heard by those that do. Stakeholders, supporters and funders are focusing on investment in social action campaigning and renewed youth services all year round, rather than empowerment through voting tomorrow. Invited by the Leverhulme Trust…
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Jan132020 by EditorNo Comments
Do something amazing – for someone amazing – #Nominateyouth

Do something amazing – for someone amazing – #Nominateyouth

Democracy, News and Blogs Archive, Recognition, Young Voices Heard, Youth Social Action
Its been a New Years Honour for an increasing number of 'young' changemakers like Mete Coban MBE (pictured), as more, and even younger people, are being successfully nominated for New Year's or Queens Birthday Honours. This blog highlights some who have been recognised for their youth leadership and campaigning work as young-led social action shows increasing signs of becoming a self-sustaining movement, as more of its young flagbearers are being recognised nationally. Valuing Recognition Since 2018 Young Voices Heard have been making new year resolutions. One of these 'To nominate more youthvoice projects and their champions for awards and recognition, locally and nationally' is one way to ensure that youth-led social action, in all its forms, is recognised. It is relatively easy for anyone to take the time to put…
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Dec62019 by EditorNo Comments
How do we refresh democracy for young people?

How do we refresh democracy for young people?

#GE19 & Campaigns, Democracy, News and Blogs Archive
   'They don't appear to know what they're doing in Westminster' first time voter , Croydon.                  The 5th of December was #DemocracyDay when 'Young Voices Heard' joined twenty other organisations calling for a range of measures to address disenchantment with democracy (1).         The day was coordinated by the Electoral Reform Society who commissioned a mini-poll (2) from BMG Research on the attitudes of the electorate on how well politics is working and whether they felt they could  influence on decision-makers. When asked to describe their opinion on how politics is working 82% of 18-24 year-olds agreed that it needs improving and 68%  felt that they do not have very much/no influence over decision-makers in the country as a…
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Nov172019 by EditorNo Comments
Election 19 #YouthVoice Manifesto – Nothing about us Without us!

Election 19 #YouthVoice Manifesto – Nothing about us Without us!

#GE19 & Campaigns, Democracy, News and Blogs Archive, Young Voices Heard
Its been two years since I posted my last 'General Election Call To Action’ and a ‘Youth-Voice Agenda’ to highlight youth people's concerns and campaigns, especially those who could not vote.* I followed up with an open letter to the Prime Minister and Party Leaders calling on them to 'talk to young people not about them' – both during and after campaigns – and to consider introducing a series of reforms that would prioritise youth issues and embed meaningful #youthvoice and #participation in our democracy going forward**. Here is my updated open call for this election – “An Advocate’s Youth Manifesto” – inspired by the #youthvoice movement, from individual campaigners to national consultations like the amazing Make Your Mark Ballots of recent years organised by the UK Youth Parliament, the…
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Nov92019 by EditorNo Comments
Election 2019 – #Youthpower

Election 2019 – #Youthpower

#GE19 & Campaigns, Democracy, News and Blogs Archive
"Too young to vote, but not too young to be heard by those that do." By James Cathcart, first published in 'Children Young People Now' | 09 November 2019 | At some point during the election campaign commentators and parties will focus on policies relating to children and young people, such as education and knife crime and will also target the 18-24 youth vote with promises around employment, housing and debt, and of course, Brexit. However, there is another influential group, whose agenda is usually ignored by the mainstream media and public opinion in the run up to elections, but whose influence should not be underestimated in voting households since the last election - children and young people under 18. While too young to vote they are not too young…
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Aug272019 by EditorNo Comments
Youth Voice, Direct Action and Greta

Youth Voice, Direct Action and Greta

News and Blogs Archive, Young Voices Heard, Youth Social Action
Youth Voice, Direct Action and Greta | Stepping up to serve, or stepping out to protest? Youth participation in direct action protest is taking youth voice social action to the next level.  This article explores the challenges and opportunities of 'direct action' for campaigners who struggle to be heard. Greta Thunberg, the young climate change campaigned is not interested in being 'tomorrows leader today', nor does she want to be 'part of the solution'. Instead she is demonstrating the power of independent youth-led protest to amplify #youthvoice to power. Action to get action "Youth Voice in an empty room is but an echo. You need to be heard by the relevant decision-makers, to even stand a chance of making an impact, but being seen to be heard can raise awareness…
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Jun62019 by EditorNo Comments
Youth Charter 2019 – Youth Minister 2020

Youth Charter 2019 – Youth Minister 2020

Democracy, News and Blogs Archive, Young Voices Heard
Youth Charter pending?  Youth Minister overdue! Have the stars aligned, at last, to create the conditions for a meaningful dialogue between youth sector stakeholders and decision-makers, resulting in a higher profile for youth policy development and a lead from Government? Following the ‘Serious Youth Violence Summit’ in early April 2019, the Government announced that it would be working with the youth sector in the coming months, to produce a Youth Charter that will “set out a vision for young people for the next generation and beyond”. The Government repeated its commitment to “giving young people a strong* voice on issues they care about” (first set out in last years Civil Society Strategy, DCMS). Sports and Civil Society Minister [with responsibility for that departments youth policy but its a stretch to…
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Jun52018 by EditorNo Comments
Youth Social Action: “Listen To Us”

Youth Social Action: “Listen To Us”

News and Blogs Archive, Young Voices Heard, Youth Social Action
Youth Social Action Campaign -  #iwill Pledge update 2018, Voices Heard, Action taken, Difference made. I'm proud to still be backing the #iwill social action campaign to make ‘youth social action’ part of life for 10-20 year-olds in the UK, particularly calling on all stakeholders to demonstrate how they are truly youth-led as enshrined in the core principles of the campaign.  Research indicated that whilst 4 in 10 young people are already engaged in ‘meaningful’ regular volunteering, many more would be if they had the opportunities or were empowered to do so. So lets listen to them about how best to do that, address the challenges they face to make it easier, and celebrate their youth-led successes and supporters who help them. (more…)
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Apr222018 by EditorNo Comments
ARCHIVE 2018 – Votes at 16 ‘Are we ready willing and able?’

ARCHIVE 2018 – Votes at 16 ‘Are we ready willing and able?’

Archive
How would MPs vote if there were a free vote this session [2018] ? 'Votes at 16 - Are we ready, willing and able?' is a question not just for young people, but for MPs and society. In this Paper, first published on 27/03/18 the author asks 'Are we about to enter a new age for democracy? Is that ‘age’ to be sixteen and will it be more than about voting, and encompass a broader agenda of democratic dialogue between young people and politicians?"  Reviewing 'what's new' and exploring 'what's needed' in the Votes at 16 debate going forward this Paper was first presented to the UK Political Studies Association Annual Conference, Cardiff, March 2018 and a referenced copy is available on request, ahead of publication. It is shared here…
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