Democracy Archives - YOUNG VOICES HEARD / YOUTH VOICE NEWS

Apr32024 by Editor1 Comment

UK Youth Parliament – young voices heard on next steps

Democracy, News, News and Blogs Archive, Young Voices Heard, Youth Voice in Democracy

When the British Youth Council announced its closure on 21rst March 2024 it was midway in a two-year contract from the Govt DCMS Youth Directorate to deliver a programme including the Youth Parliament. DCMS and supporters have been gathering information and exploring options for its continued delivery. It's no surprise that young people have been self-mobilising to ensure their voices are heard too. Here's what they have been saying and a response from the Minister promising to meet them. YVH will post updates when the new contract host is announced. UKYP Steering Group member Jamie Burrell sends a message to supporters and Young Voices Heard. (more…)

Oct242023 by EditorNo Comments

Local #YouthVoice must be heard – New Gov Guidance reviewed

Democracy, News and Blogs Archive, Young Voices Heard, Youth Voice in Democracy

Statutory Guidance on youth voice and influence in local youth services (the Education Act 1996, 507b) has just been updated and published (Sept 23) by the Gov's DCMS Youth Directorate. The original legislation is not just the statutory basis for the provision of local youth services in England, but where the law says that youth views ‘must’ be heard in shaping them. Does the latest guidance go far enough? James Cathcart reviews the implications for the #youthvoice movement and calls for a debate about the opportunities in the run up to a General Election 2024. (more…)

Jul72022 by EditorNo Comments

YouthVoiceNews – Govt ‘Youth engagement grant’ extended to Mar 23, & Youth policy group recruitment re-opens to 16-25s

Democracy, News, News and Blogs Archive, Young Voices Heard, Youth Policy Development Group News, Youth Voice in Democracy

ShoutOutUK have confirmed on social media that their Youth Engagement grant contract with Government (DCMS Youth Dir) to manage the Youth Policy Development Group, has been extended until April 2023. Young Voices Heard and polling company Survation are also partners in this Government programme. Recruitment is now open to boost the YPDG membership to 40 (aged 16-25/England) to continue informing and influence Government policies at monthly roundtables with Ministers or senior officials. Apply by 7th August. (more details below) Kyrenia Shipillis (18) - interview with YVH gives a members perspective on her experience of working as a volunteer policy "changemaker" (more…)

Jan72022 by Editor1 Comment

Govt Youth Policy Group is listening..

Democracy, News and Blogs Archive, Young Voices Heard, Youth Policy Development Group News, Youth Voice in Democracy

Young Voices Heard is supporting the work of the new Youth Policy Development Group which is currently 'listening' to the views of other young people - see links below - with a view to informing and influencing government policy from the inside. The group (aged 16-25) is calling on young people (in England) to share their views on policy issues. The current survey includes questions on covid recovery education, child poverty and housing. This is part of an ongoing dialogue with Government being coordinated by ShoutOutUK and the DCMS Civil Society and Youth Directorates Youth Engagement programme. The group will develop a policy presentation and proposals for discussion at their next Ministerial Roundtable scheduled for the end of January. The first meeting took place in December on Covid Vacs and…

Nov242020 by Editor1 Comment

Make Your Mark 2020, ballot open

Democracy, News, News and Blogs Archive

"Have Your Say" Nov 2020, 11-18 year-olds can vote to prioritise campaigns online. This has been a challenging year for the Youth Parliament but the vote is open ! [topics listed below] Covid restrictions have delayed the usual timetable for the UK Youth Parliaments 'Make Your Mark' annual campaign vote by children and young people aged 11-18. The annual ballot is the largest youth consultation in the UK, usually takes place over the summer to choose five topics to be debated and voted on by young MYPs in a special sitting of the Youth Parliament in the House of Commons in November. This year the ballot, which topped 1m votes in 2018, is open during month of November with registered schools and youth groups supporting participation. You can only vote…

Feb12020 by EditorNo Comments

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…

Dec62019 by EditorNo Comments

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…

Nov172019 by EditorNo Comments

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…

Nov92019 by EditorNo Comments

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…