As part of my pledge to promote youth social action opportunities for young people aged 11-25 for the charity StepUpToServe #iwill work to create youthvoice opportunities in positions of decision-making in the boardroom, government, parliament, and the media and communitie. I am working on these specific targets in 2017.
Boardroom
1/ To get more young people appointed as full Trustees (not advisors) to Boards of Directors/Trustees, starting with those who support young people, and, in particular those supporting youth participation and voice. My target is the new Board of the National Citizen Service which is to be set up under Royal Charter in 2018. It is recruiting in until October 2017.
Parliament
2/ To get the views of young people and their representatives heard in Parliament by
Securing Parliament time to debate their democratically chosen issues by nearly a million young people in the annual “Make Your Mark” ballot of the UK Youth Parliament, and the reports of the Youth Select Committee 2010-2017.
Government
3/ To get the Government (whatever party in power) to appoint a f/t Youth Minister, with a voice in Cabinet, and supported by a co-ordinating Department of Youth Affairs to ensure ongoing dialogue.
Media
4/ To persuade the media to give a platform to more youthvoice stories
5/ for 2018, To persuade media outlets to appoint Youth Affairs correspondent to join the other specialisms …Foreign Affairs, Defence, Brexit, Political editor… starting with the BBC