United Kingdom Youth Parliament Elections
Sep 15
What would you change if you could?
Do you have something to say about being a young person?
Is there something you would change if you had the power to do it?
This is for anyone between 11 to 18. If there’s nothing to do in your area or you feel adults don’t listen to you, then do something about it!
This is your chance to stand up and be heard……
If you are interested in standing for election to the UK Youth Parliament, then everything you need to know is here….
Find out more about the UK Youth Parliament
Find out what it’s like to be a Member of the UK Youth Parliament
If I’m elected what will I have to do?
> About the UK Youth Parliament
The UK Youth Parliament (UKYP) aims to give young people a voice that is heard and listened to by local and national government and many other services and agencies that are interested in the views of young people.
Members of the Youth Parliament (MYPs) work extremely hard to ensure young people’s voices are heard by some of the most important politicians and decision makers in the country.
There are 3 places (constituencies) for MYPs to represent the young people of Worcestershire.
> What It’s Like To Be A Member Of the UK Youth Parliament
Over the past few years, the MYPs have achieved many things, including:
- Representing young people across the UK on a national and global level.
- Giving young people’s opinions on every topic affecting them to decision makers, members of the Government and the media.
- Actively campaigning to achieve outcomes for young people across the country.
- Inputting into the UKYP Manifesto.
- Having the opportunity to liaise with decision makers such as the Commonwealth and the National Youth Agency on specific issues.
- Being invited to the House of Commons and House of Lords to debate issues.
- Regularly linking up with the West Midlands regional MYPs.
- Attending the UKYP Annual sitting, where the full Parliament meets and brainstorms all topics (2010 will be Northern Ireland)
- Attending the West Midlands regional annual residential.
- Creating films, leaflets and publications on different campaigns that are distributed across the country.
- Being part of one of the most exciting opportunities available to young people who want to get their voices heard.
> How to stand for election
You need to send in a Nomination Form by 19th October. This form can be downloaded here**, or you can get them from our office by calling 01905 827489
You will then be invited to attend your Local Candidate Meetings in November, where you will have the opportunity to find out more information, decide if you would definitely like to stand, and have the opportunity to prepare your own brief statement (or manifesto) saying why people should vote for you.
The elections will take place in January, and there will be the announcement of results on Saturday 20th February at a special announcement event.
** Please note that the nomination form is a PDF file and requires Adobe Reader to open it. Click here to download Adobe Reader or call 01905 827489 to pick up a printed version
> What will I have to do?
- Attend UKYP Meetings In Birmingham
- Go on a UKYP West Midlands Residential
- Be able to get involved in the Youth Cabinet sub-groups; Publicity and Policy.
- Go on an annual residential and other trips and socials.
- Be able to get involved in other projects and various opportunities.
- Attend Youth Cabinet meetings
- Take on an active role in your local District Youth Forum.
- Meet with Councillors and others to promote the views of young people.
You are not expected to attend every single meeting, but it is important that you get as involved as you can. Personal circumstances are taken into account and support, training and transport are all provided.
For more information please visit www.ukyouthparliament.org.uk
> Frequently Asked Questions
- Why would I want to be a Member of Youth Parliament?
Being a Member of Youth Parliament is a great opportunity to have your say and make a difference for all young people in Worcestershire and beyond. Through this there will be opportunities for you to gain new skills and experiences, along with a chance to learn about how decisions are made and how you are able to influence this. You will also get to meet new people, make friends and hopefully have a lot of fun.
- How do I know if I’m the right person for the UKYP?
Anyone between the ages of 11-18 is the right person for these opportunities. Other than that, we have no specifications! Having a passion about giving young people a say is useful, but you don’t need any certain skills, qualifications or experience at all.
- Will I get any help?
Support will be provided for the whole time you are involved with the UKYP, both from the Participation & Engagement Team and local District Support Workers.
- When are the meetings?
Meetings tend to be held in the evenings although some activities take place at the weekends or during school holidays. Occasionally opportunities arise during the day in term time – we try to keep these to a minimum and always seek permission from both parents and schools.
- How do I get to meetings?
If you need transport to get to a meeting then we can arrange this for you with one of our approved taxi firms, or if you are able to use public transport then we will refund the cost of this for you.
- I’m interested but I’m worried that there will be too many meetings. Will it be boring?
No, it won’t be boring. It is true that often we do have meetings to achieve certain goals, talk about issues and do a bit of work, but if we didn’t do that nothing would ever get done! However, we do spend a surprising amount of time playing games and doing activities. We try to make sure that we achieve a balance between the serious stuff that makes the changes happen, and the more light hearted stuff too!
- Will it cost me anything?
Members Youth Parliament don’t get paid, but it shouldn’t cost anything to be involved and we will cover any expenses incurred or ensure that you have access to everything required for the role.
- What if there is something specific I know I would like to do if I get elected?
Lots of people join with a specific issue they would like to tackle, or something specific they would like to try and change. We will make every effort to help you with whatever it is you want to achieve - just tell us about it and we will see if we can sort something out!
- What if I don’t want to be a Member of Youth Parliament anymore?
If you get elected but later decide that you don’t want to be part of UKYP any more then we would ask you to speak to us about this so we can discuss why you’ve made this decision and if there is anything we can do to help. However, young people choose to be an MYP and you will not be made to stay on the group if you don’t wish to any more.
- What happens if I don’t get elected?
There are so many opportunities to get involved in, Anyone can join their local Youth Forum without having an election. We also run other projects that we would welcome any young people onto, and we can give you details of these other opportunities when necessary!
- I have more questions. What should I do to get them answered?
We are hoping to answer most questions at the Candidate Information Days. If you can’t wait till then, or just want a chat anyway, feel free to get hold of us via the contact details on this site. We will be happy to talk to you!