A young person’s agenda for democracy – one year on report, 21/10/03 [E/S/NI/W]
The Electoral Commission has published a report presenting the findings and recommendations of the 2003 monitoring programme of the Youth Voting Network. The network has focused on the activities of politicians, Government, The Electoral Commission and the media aimed at reconnecting young people with politics.
The Youth Voting Network is made up of a large number of UK organisations working in the field of democracy and participation, particularly among young people.
The recommendations are intended to help build more effective links between young people and politics.
Recommendations to politicians
- Visits to schools and youth groups – ideally using a structured scheme such as that established by the Hansard Society – seem to be particularly effective and well-received by young people. However, more of these need to be done and care taken to make visits at times other than during election campaign periods
- Explore ways of developing the skills of local and national politicians in ways of working with young people in decision-making processes. This could be arranged locally by political parties. National youth organisations can help with this, or local youth services
- Don’t equate co-incidental circumstances (e.g. ‘my intern is young’, ‘I have young kids’, ‘I am involved with young people in the local theatre group’) or the activities of your executive body (e.g. ‘the youth service deals with this’) with the genuine engagement of young people in your decision-making, consultation and listening processes as elected representatives
- Young people should be given opportunities to speak to MPs at local events which are planned and run by young people. Events involving young people should not be solely a media opportunity
- Young people would like to be able to speak to MPs that can act on their concerns
- Work within your parties to achieve better representation of the diversity of young people through the encouragement and selection of younger candidates
Recommendation to young people
- Politicians want to hear ideas from you about other ways they can proactively involve young people. Don’t leave it to them to make the first move!
Government and The Electoral Commission
Recommendations for The Electoral Commission
- More needs to be done to ensure that there is an awareness among young people of The Electoral Commission’s new initiatives
- Initiatives should not only be targeted at urban communities but should reach out to rural ones as well
- Cross-advertise cinema adverts, posters, website and other initiatives
- Young people should be involved in the follow-up and the review processes of all relevant initiatives
Recommendations for Government
- Young people should be made aware of the new participation rights that they have in schools
- The Government should make sure that schools are properly resourced to ensure an effective delivery of citizenship education
- Regulations on the constitution of school governing bodies need to be amended to enable young people elected onto school governing bodies to have equal status to other members, including full voting rights
- Events involving young people should not solely be a media opportunity for ministers
Recommendations for The Electoral Commission and Government
- Mass consultation with young people must take place as part of the review of the minimum age for voting and candidacy
- Young people must be made aware of initiatives and changes in legislation to make it easier to vote
- Young people must be a fundamental part of any reviews that concern them
The media
Recommendations for the media
- The media must take note of the CYPU recommendations and contribute to the debate on their role in reconnecting young people and politics
- Don’t just pay lip service to the recommendations or give up at the first hurdle. Consult young people and include youth engagement issues in your planning. Take some risks with programming and scheduling
In the future the Network intends to further monitor reports on an annual basis and to work with stakeholders to develop best practice.
The Network is also actively exploring with relevant bodies in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland how the future work programme can best be taken forward in those parts of the UK.
For more information contact:
The Electoral Commission
Trevelyan House
Great Peter Street
London
SW1P 2HW
Anthony Bellringer Tel: 020 7271 0592
Email: abellringer@electoralcommission.org.uk
