Apr222018 by James CathcartNo Comments
Votes at 16: House of Commons Vote?

Votes at 16: House of Commons Vote?

Democracy, News and Blogs
How would MPs vote if there were a free vote this session? '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 in advance…
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Feb152018 by James CathcartNo Comments
Votes at 16 : All-Party Parliamentary Group 2018

Votes at 16 : All-Party Parliamentary Group 2018

Democracy, News and Blogs, Young Voices Heard
Is now the time for a new parliamentary body, such as an All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG), to enable cross-party dialogue to explore consensus on lowering the voting age to 16 with measures to sustain it?  Votes at 16 for all elections is achievable but not inevitable. It is such an important constitutional change it demands a great political and public consensus to be sustainable [lesson learnt from Brexit].  This article explores why and ways to move forward. (more…)
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Jul152017 by James CathcartNo Comments
“From volunteer to Chief Executive – an unexpected journey”

“From volunteer to Chief Executive – an unexpected journey”

News and Blogs, Youth Social Action
Founder of Young Voices Heard, James Cathcart, reflects on his personal journey from volunteer to Chief Executive, explaining why 'volunteering' has been at the heart of his personal development and why he has worked with volunteers throughout his career. [First written for World Youth Skills Day 15th July 2017 (and for a conference presentation) and updated for International Volunteers Day 5th Dec 2017] "My life and career was shaped by an early decision to volunteer as teenager. I continue to volunteer to this day.  I started volunteering for short-term teams with the International Voluntary Service and at the age of 21 volunteered full-time away from home for Community Service Volunteers (now Volunteering Matters) . I had originally intended to be a journalist, but my volunteering grew during a period of…
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Jul122017 by James CathcartNo Comments
A Strong #Youthvote Is In The National Interest because.. (2/5/17)

A Strong #Youthvote Is In The National Interest because.. (2/5/17)

Democracy, News and Blogs, Young Voices Heard
A strong #youthvote turnout is in the national interest because it is a measure of the health of our democracy, an early indicator of the life-time relationship between voters and their representatives, a sign of understanding, a dividend of education and a measure of mandate. We need to nurture it, and if we feed it, it will grow to benefit us all. However, evidence suggests the trend has been in the other direction. This blog was first published at the beginning of May 2017 when the General Election had just been announced, and formed the basis for an open letter to political leaders on the day of the result in June which can be found in a referenced Paper for the Political Studies Association in February 2018. To be published but contact us for…
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Jul62017 by James CathcartNo Comments
“Youth Voices Heard – in Parliament”

“Youth Voices Heard – in Parliament”

Democracy, News and Blogs, Young Voices Heard
Getting "Youth Voices Heard" in Parliament is one of the three top priorities of the 'Young Voices Heard' initiative. (the others being in the Boardroom and in Communities. It is based on the assumption that the health of a nation's governance is proportionate to the level of participation of its young people in public life, and in particular, their understanding and engagement with their Parliament. This blog was first written by the founder of Young Voices Heard in 2017 but was expanded and developed into a Paper for the Political Studies Association in 2018 which is available on request and awaiting publication. (more…)
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