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Report 3 (of 5): Youth Rules
OK - United Kingdom
Introduction
Young people have few opportunities
to communicate their ideas and concerns to those in
power. Issues such as employment and democracy, poverty,
homelessness, education, women's issues and children's
rights affect everyone and young people can offer new
perspectives and innovative solutions, but often feel
that no one is listening.
The UK Youth Parliament (UKYP) has been set up to
give young people in the UK (between the ages of 11
and 18) a representative national voice and to develop
their ability to participate in the democratic process.
Members of the Youth Parliament (MYPs)
come from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland,
and meet once a year to discuss issues they consider
to be important. The conclusions of this meeting are
published in a Youth Manifesto which aims to inform
and influence those in power - political leaders,
including members of the British government, the Scottish
Parliament and the Welsh Assembly - as well as providers
of services for young people, and other agencies who
have an interest in young people's views and needs.
During the rest of the year, MYPs
meet in their regions of the UK and try to raise awareness
of issues affecting young people.
The Youth Parliament
The UKYP encourages the involvement
of young people who are socially excluded, as well as
those from established groups such as local youth councils.
Elected members come from a mix of backgrounds, race,
culture and ability, and those who do not usually have
an opportunity to speak up are helped to find their
voice.
The Youth Parliament is run by a small
team operating through a registered charity, Democracy
for Young People, and the board of trustees is made
up of young people, members of national organisations,
and parliamentarians.
Elections
Every local education authority (LEA)
across the country is asked to host an election for
the UKYP. This takes the form of a day of workshops
covering issues such as the United Nation's Convention
of Children's Rights, what it means to be a citizen,
the importance of democracy and the basic structure
of the UKYP. Designed to be fun, these training sessions
give the young people who attend a chance to discuss
and learn about key issues, while meeting other like-minded
young people from across their area.
At the end of the training day all
those present are asked whether they wish to stand
for election as a Youth MP. Those who wish to stand
are asked to comment on why they think they would
make a good Youth MP, and these comments are included
on the ballot form next to their names.
The ballot papers are then distributed
among all the young people present at the training
day, who are asked to vote for the person that they
feel would best represent their views.
The young people with the most votes
become the Youth MPs for their area and two young
people are elected as MYPs from each region. At least
one MYP is chosen by each LEA, depending on the numbers
of young people in the area. Young people get involved
through their schools and youth groups, who help them
to take part in the election days.
A total of 418 MYPs were elected to
the UK Youth Parliament at its opening meeting.
Youth Manifesto
Each year the elected MYPs meet to
create a Youth Manifesto, which is then presented
to all political parties and young people's charities
who support the Youth Parliament. It is hoped that
these agencies will consider the views of the UKYP
when reviewing and creating new policies that will
have a direct impact on the young people of the UK.
Making it Work
Although there are many differences
between youth councils in the way they work, there
are some common features that all youth councils follow:
- They have to be democratic - young
people representing others and not just voicing
their own concerns
- They have to have access to power
- to the committees and structures which make the
decisions
- They have to be able to act on
things which matter to young people and get results
at the council's own pace.
The success of the Youth Parliament
can be attributed to two factors:
- The support of the young people
who volunteer, ministers, and government both locally
and nationally
- The funding that provides young
people around the UK with the ability to see their
projects become a reality.
The UKYP became a registered charity
in 2001, and many of the trustees are former MYPs,
guaranteeing that the views of young people are really
listened to.
The Paddington Youth Parliament
The Paddington Development Trust (PDT)
is a community-led organisation actively engaged in
the economic, environmental and social regeneration
of the North Paddington area in central London. Part
of a massive initiative to regenerate Paddington,
its mission is to enable local people to achieve social
and economic independence. One of the main focuses
is on building capacity in young people.
The Paddington Youth Parliament is
a youth-run organisation, funded by the PDT that meets
every two weeks to discuss local issues. It gives
young people living, going to school, college, university
or simply those using the youth facilities in Paddington
the opportunity to voice their opinions on issues
that concern them.
Funding projects
The PYP has a fund of money that enables
it to offer grants to young people who would like
to organise an activity for local young people or
help someone in need. Often, young people have innovative
ways to solve their own problems but simply do not
have the money to put these ideas into practice.
Small grants are often given, for example
to purchase trainers if a young person needs them for
sport. The PYP also funds larger projects and has enabled
young people to set up a dance company, a young mothers
group, an events company that puts on talent shows and
music events for young people. The PYP offers advice
on how to start up projects or put on events, and provides
vital contacts to the right people when they are unable
to help.
Investing in the Future
The Youth Parliament movement in the
UK addresses the needs of young people directly. Young
people now have a say on issues that affect them,
can receive money for projects they feel are important,
and are actively involved in influencing policies
that have an effect on themselves and their future.
The concept is simple. By providing grants without
bureaucracy, trusting the decisions of young people
and responding quickly to their needs, the Youth Parliament
across the country is making its voice heard.
For more information, please contact:
Websites:
http://www.childrens-express.org/
- Is a website containing news and comments by young
people for everyone and has many articles on the UK
Youth Parliament.
http://www.nydic.org/
- The National Youth Development Information Centre
is a US project that provides practice-related information
about youth development to national and local youth-serving
organisations.
For information on micro-finance:
| Eldis Microfinance Gateway
nt1.ids.ac.uk/eldis/fin/micro.htm
The Eldis Microfinance Gateway
lists many organisations involved with micro-credit.
It also has many country profiles, where papers
from different countries can be viewed, and
organisations working in those countries can
be found. |
| MicroFinance Network
www.bellanet.org/partners/mfn
The MicroFinance Network is
a global association of leading microfinance
practitioners. The members of the MicroFinance
Network are committed to improving the lives
of low-income people through the provision
of credit, savings and other financial services.
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| The Microfinance Gateway
http://www.microfinancegateway.org/
The Microfinance Gateway is
a public forum for the microfinance industry
at large that offers a wealth of tailored
services for microfinance professionals, including
resource centres on specific topics in microfinance,
a searchable library of electronic documents,
a consultant database, a jobs listing service,
and specialised discussion groups. |
This document is an output from
a project funded by the UK Department for International
Development (DFID) and the European Commission (EC)
for the benefit of developing countries. The views
expressed are not necessarily those of DFID or the
EC.
Acknowledgements
ITDG would like to thank Kate Parish
at the UKYP for providing the original material for
this document.
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