Campaign Coalitions

Democratic Life

BYC is part of Democratic Life, a group of interested individuals and organisations who have come together to champion citizenship education in the face of uncertain political support for the subject.

We want citizenship education to remain in the national curriculum and for schools continue to improve the teaching of the subject, and are encouraging individuals to join our campaign in support of this.

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Young Equals - campaigning against age discrimination.

BYC is part of Young Equals - a group of charities and children and young people who are campaigning to stop age discrimination. There are many examples of children and young people experiencing unfair and harmful treatment because of their age. This might be not being allowed in shops or public places because of their age, or having to put up with the sound of Mosquito devices that give out a high-pitched noise to deter teenagers.

"Discrimination against young people is widespread in England. Half (49%) of seven to seventeen year olds have experienced unfair treatment because of their age." - Children's Rights Alliance for England, ICM Poll. March 2010.

Votes at 16

The British Youth Council (BYC) believes that 16 and 17 year olds should be given the vote in all public elections in the UK, because at 16 we are mature enough to engage in and contribute to democracy.

We will campaign for votes at 16, partnered with increased engagement of young people in decision-making in our communities, and alongside accessible and informative political education. Votes at 16 will help ensure that young people's views are better represented within UK politics.

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National Minimum Wage Coalition

BYC is campaigning for an equal National Minimum Wage for everyone aged 16 and over. As part of our campaign work, we are part of the National Minimum Wage campaign coalition. This group is led by UNISON and supported by BYC, Child Poverty Action Group, Institute of Employment Rights, National Union of Students, Trade Union Congress, and YWCA England & Wales. The group was set up to:

• Defend and improve the minimum wage
• Improve it - support the uprating of the national minimum wage
• Extend it - to cover Apprentices
• Make it fair - scrap the age bands that discriminate against young workers
• Enforce it - make sure workers know about it and employers pay it.