Media spokespeople are available on request at various points throughout the campaign. To organise interviews please get in touch with the British Youth Council press office.
About the Campaign
Our National Campaign for 2019 – ‘Votes for 16 and 17 year olds in all public elections’
Over 1.5 million 16 and 17-year-olds are currently unable to vote in elections and referendums across the UK. This has been a key issue for the UK Youth Parliament for multiple years and was voted for by over 80,000 11-18-year-olds in the 2018 Make Your Mark ballot. Following the ballot, Members of Youth Parliament voted in the House of Commons for ‘Votes at 16’ to be the leading national campaign for 2019. Young people are passionate to take part in democracy and want to be involved in the discussions that affect their daily lives. Until the government lowers the voting age across the UK, many young people will not get the right to vote on the issues that affect them.
Members of Youth Parliament will now work alongside the Votes at 16 Coalition, to campaign for young people to gain the right to vote in all public elections from the age of 16.
What is this important?
16 and 17 year-olds are not granted the opportunity to influence key decisions that affect their lives on a day to day basis. This means that many of their concerns are dismissed despite the fact many young people will engage when given an authentic opportunity.
It is also important to highlight that not all 16 and 17-year-olds across the UK have the same rights. In Scotland, 16 and 17-year-olds have been allowed to vote in all Scottish elections since May 2016. This step in the right direction was impacted hugely by the results of the Scottish referendum whereby 75% of 16 and 17-year-olds turned out to vote. This just goes to show that when young people are given the opportunity to influence a decision that shapes their future, they are eager to get involved.
Finally, there are no justifications for not aligning the rights of 16 and 17 year-olds with their responsibilities. Over 1.5 million 16 and 17 year-olds are denied the right to vote but are allowed by law to;
- Give full consent to medical treatment;
- Pay income tax and National Insurance
- Obtain tax credits and welfare benefits in their own right
- Consent to sexual relationships
- Get married or enter a civil partnership, with parental consent;
- Change their name by deed poll;
- Become a director of a company;
- Serve in the armed forces but not deployed on the front line.
Actions
For the campaign to be as effective as possible the UK Youth Parliament believe that it is important to get everyone involved. From Parliament to the playground, it is essential that everyone engages in the conversation and takes action on the campaign.
We would like to take action in lowering the voting age – through:
- Holding conversations and debates in schools and youth groups across the UK and inform decision makers of the outcomes
- Gaining further support from decision makers on a local and national level
- Creating a wider conversation to increase engagement and continue to inspire young people to take part in democracy
What’s been happening online?
You can follow all the action on Twitter via #Votesat16.
Download resources
Visit votesat16.org for more resources
For the campaign to be as effective as possible the UK Youth Parliament believe that it is important to get everyone involved. From Parliament to playground, it is essential that everyone engages in the conversation and takes action on the campaign.
What are we going to do about it?
- Widen the conversation- Increase the number of people who are engaged in Votes at 16.
- Increase support among decisions makers.
- Highlight young people’s participation in democracy.
When are we releasing more details and getting started?
It has already begun! The campaign launched during our National Day of Action on Friday 20th January 2017.
What’s been happening online?
You can follow all the action on Twitter via #Votesat16.
I’m a Member of Youth Parliament – Where can I find resources?
About the Campaign
Our England Only Campaign for 2019
As knife crime has continued to climb over the last few years, the UK Youth Parliament believes that this issue needed to be addressed. In the 2018 Make Your Mark ballot, over 196,000 young people aged 11-18 from across the UK voted to put an end to Knife Crime. Members of Youth Parliament respectively voted at the House of Commons to make this the England only campaign for 2019, to get young people and decision makers to take action against knife crime.
Campaign Aims:
We would like to see a significant reduction in knife crime across the UK – through:
- Raising awareness of the devastating effects of knife crime and how it affects people across the UK
- Exploring the multiple factors of knife crime, including mental health, education and youth services
- Gaining support from decision makers
- Preventing young people from carrying knives by creating platforms for young people to engage with the community
- Raising awareness of what young people can do to support the cause.
Actions
For the campaign to be as effective as possible, the UK Youth Parliament believes that it is important to get everyone involved. From Parliament to the playground, it is essential that everyone engages in the conversation and takes action on the campaign.
What’s been happening online?
You can follow the discussion through the hashtag #ActionAgainstKnifeCrime or by visiting our Facebook and Twitter.
Download resources
The resources below will help you plan your knife crime sessions and help you navigate social media and other communications.
Our England Only Campaign for 2018
Last year, over 130,674 young people voted for the need to have a Curriculum for Life as their most important issue. What does this mean? It means that young people are saying the education system needs to do a lot more to prepare them for life after school or college.
Campaign aims:
- To raise awareness of the importance of a curriculum for life for all young people.
- To help schools know what young people need from Personal, Social, Health and Economic education (PSHE).
- To keep young people at the heart of the changes being made to PSHE.
- Gain the support of decision makers on our calls for a curriculum that prepares us for life.
Actions
For the campaign to be as effective as possible, the UK Youth Parliament believe that it is important to get everyone involved. From Parliament to playground, it is essential that everyone engages in the conversation and takes action on the campaign.
We are calling for:
- We want PSHE to address all we need to actively participate in life. We want to know about finances, relationships and sex, the political system, cultural awareness and community cohesion, sustainable living and citizenship!
- We want our teachers to be trained so that they are empowered to deliver quality lessons.
- We want time set aside in our timetables, we do not want it to be a time filler or random lessons.
- We want it to be taught in all schools to all pupils. No matter where you live or the type of school a young person goes to, they should have a curriculum which prepares them for life.
Through the Children and Social Work Bill, Relationship and Sex education will be compulsory from September 2019. This is just the beginning. The Government plans to consult on giving the same status to Personal, Social, Health and Economic education. Change is coming!
What’s been happening online?
You can follow all the action on Twitter via #pshe4me.
Download resources
Campaign Briefing
Campaign Toolkit
Pledge Poster
UK Youth Parliament is launching, ‘Make Your Mark’, the UK’s largest survey of young people’s views. For the seventh time in history, young people aged 11-18 are being invited to take part in the ballot to shortlist what is debated in the House of Commons by Members of Youth Parliament later this year.
The annual ballot, which launches on International Youth Day, will contain 10 policies voted for by Members of Youth Parliament including reforming the curriculum, further support for young carers, improving mental health services and protecting school budgets.
The campaign will see Members and volunteers across the country, invite young people in schools and youth clubs to take this opportunity to have their say and to inform and influence Government and decision makers in their communities.
This year’s campaign, supported by the British Youth Council, Royal College of Paediatric and Child Health, and #iwill Campaign aims to beat last year’s record of 978,216 young people taking part.
Joshua Gray, a member of the Procedures Group, which coordinates the UK Youth Parliament said: “It’s so exciting that once again young people across the country are being given the chance to make it clear what they think is a priority to them in the biggest youth consultation in the country. When Members of Youth Parliament debate in the House of Commons, it’s vital that they address the issues that young people care about, with a mandate given to them directly from the Make Your Mark ballot.”
Young people are passionate about their own world and it’s imperative that decision makers sit up and listen to young people’s priorities, and this ballot gives all young people an essential outlet for their views.”
Following the campaign, priority issues will be brought to the attention of Government Ministers including Tracey Crouch MP, Parliamentary under Secretary of State for Sport and Civil Society, with responsibility for youth who is due to attend the UK Youth Parliament’s House of Commons Sitting and reply on behalf of the Government.
The Commons debate which is taking place on 10th November 2017 will be chaired by John Bercow MP, Speaker of the House of Commons, who recently spoke at the UK Youth Parliament’s Annual Sitting in Liverpool. After the debates, Members of Youth Parliament will walk through the division lobbies to vote on what should be a become their priority campaigns for 2018. In recent years, mental health, racism and religious discrimination and a lower voting age have been prioritised.
Young people can take part in the consultation by visiting: www.ukyouthparliament.org.uk/makeyourmark
About the Campaign
Our national campaign for 2017 – ‘Votes for 16 and 17 year olds in all public elections’
Over 978,000 young people voted in the UK Youth Parliaments Make your Mark ballot, with over 112,000 young people voting to make it one of their top five priority issues. In a subsequent vote in the House of Commons, Members of Youth Parliament voted to make this the national campaign UK Youth Parliament, along with the Votes at 16 Coalition, is campaigning for young people from the age of 16 to gain the right to vote in all public elections.
Why is this important?
16 and 17 year old are not granted the opportunity to influence key decisions that affect their lives on a day to day basis. This means that many of their concerns are dismissed despite the fact many young people will engage when given an authentic opportunity.
It is also important to highlight that not all 16 and 17-year-olds across the UK have the same rights. In Scotland, 16 and 17-year-olds have been allowed to vote in all Scottish elections since May 2016. This step in the right direction was impacted hugely by the results of the Scottish referendum where by 75% of 16 and 17-year-olds turned out to vote. This just goes to show that when young people are given the opportunity to influence a decision that shapes their future, they are eager to get involved.
Finally, there are no justifications for not aligning the rights of 16 and 17-year-olds with their responsibilities. Over 1.5 million 16 and 17-year-olds are denied the right to vote but are allowed by law to;
- Give full consent to medical treatment;
- Pay income tax and National Insurance
- Obtain tax credits and welfare benefits in their own right
- Consent to sexual relationships
- Get married or enter a civil partnership, with parental consent;
- Change their name by deed poll;
- Become a director of a company;
- Serve in the armed forces but not deployed on the front line.
Over 40 Members of Parliament from across the UK pledged their personal support to promote awareness of the UK Youth Parliament’s Make Your Mark ballot. The vote has been ‘open’ since Friday 12th August 2016 to anyone aged 11-18 years old, to ‘Make their Mark’ on the ballot to shortlist what is debated in the House of Commons chamber by Members of Youth Parliament on 11th November 2016. The vote closes on Wednesday 5th October 2016 and you can find out more and cast your vote online here: www.ukyouthparliament.org.uk/makeyourmark
Support included Minister for Civil Society, with responsibility for youth policy, Rob Wilson MP and British Youth Council Honorary President, Wes Streeting MP. You can find pictures of the Members of Parliament who pledged their support on Facebook.
The ballot will contain 10 policies voted for by Members of Youth Parliament including mental health, and lowering the voting age, which reflect their election pledges in local elections across the UK earlier in the year. The campaign will see Members of Youth Parliament and volunteers across the country, invite young people in schools and youth clubs to take this opportunity to have their say and to inform and influence Government and decision makers in their communities.
This year’s campaign, supported by the British Youth Council, NCS (National Citizen Service), Royal College of Paediatric and Child Health, and #iwill Campaign aims to beat last year’s record of 969,992 young people taking part.
The Commons debate will take place on 11th November, and will be chaired by The Rt Hon John Bercow MP, Speaker of the House of Commons, who recently spoke at the UK Youth Parliament’s Annual Sitting in York. Young members will then walk through the division lobbies to vote on what should be a become their priority campaigns for 2016/17. In recent years they prioritised “Mental Health” and “Tackling Racism and Religious Discrimination”.
Young people can take part in the consultation by visiting: www.ukyouthparliament.org.uk/makeyourmark
This year’s Youth Parliament, which itself was elected, is expected to be one of the most diverse groups of representatives, with a gender balance, young people from ethnic minorities and different faiths all sitting on the green benches. The young elected representatives, aged 11-18, include many facing the day-to-day challenges that their campaigns seek to address.
UK Youth Parliament marks International Youth Day with the largest consultation of young people’s views in the country. Everyone aged 11-18 years old is invited to ‘Make their Mark’ on the ballot to shortlist what is debated in the House of Commons by the Youth Parliament on 11th November 2016.
The ballot will contain 10 policies voted for by Members of Youth Parliament including mental health, and lowering the voting age, which reflects their election pledges in local elections across the UK earlier in the year. The campaign will see Members and volunteers across the country, invite young people in schools and youth clubs to take this opportunity to have their say and to inform and influence Government and decision makers in their communities.
This year’s campaign, supported by the British Youth Council, NCS (National Citizen Service), Royal College of Paediatric and Child Health, and #iwill Campaign aims to beat last year’s record of 969,992 young people taking part.
The aim of the exercise is to bring priority issues to the attention of Government Ministers, including the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Culture, Media, and Sport, with responsibility for youth policy, Rob Wilson MP who will attend the UK Youth Parliament’s House of Commons Sitting and reply on behalf of the Government.
The Commons debate will take place on 11th November, and be chaired by The Rt Hon John Bercow MP, Speaker of the House of Commons, who recently spoke at the UK Youth Parliament’s Annual Sitting in York. Young members will then walk through the division lobbies to vote on what should be a become their priority campaigns for 2016/17. In recent years they prioritised “Mental Health” and “Tackling Racism and Religious Discrimination”.
Young people can take part in the consultation by visiting: www.ukyouthparliament.org.uk/makeyourmark
Connor Hill, 16, Member of Youth Parliament for Dudley said: “Make Your Mark is the biggest youth consultation in the country. It enables us to properly represent the young people within our constituencies across the whole of the nation. Time and time again decision makers just don’t pay attention to young people because they tell us we are not engaged or that we don’t understand. Make Your Mark gives us as MYPs a huge mandate to say we represent young people’s views, young people do want a say and I can’t wait to see the House of Commons chamber this year packed full of passionate young people debating the issues that have been selected by the public.”
This year’s Youth Parliament, which itself was elected in local elections by 100,000’s teenagers, is expected to be one of the most diverse groups of representatives, with a gender balance, young people from ethnic minorities and different faiths all sitting on the green benches. The young elected reps, aged 11-18, include many facing the day-to-day challenges that their campaigns seek to address.
Media spokespeople are available on request at various points throughout the campaign. To organise interviews please contact the British Youth Council’s press office.
Our National Campaign for 2016 – ‘Working together to combat racism and religious discrimination’
Following over 95,000 young people voting to tackle racism and racial discrimination as a priority issue; and Members of Youth Parliament voting to make this the national campaign during the 2015 House of Commons Sitting, the UK Youth Parliament will be working in their communities to reduce racism and racial discrimination. Over the next year, the UK Youth Parliament will campaign to challenge negative attitudes around race and religion; work with others to educate their communities in order to tackle ignorance around race and religion; and promote integration in their communities.
Why is this important?
There has been an increase in race and religion related hate crimes across all the nations in the UK apart from Scotland; but young people agreed that one victim of this type of hate crime is one too many.
England and Wales race and religion related hate crimes in 2014-2015:
- 42,930 Race related hate crimes reported – 15% increase from the year before.
- 3,254 Religion related hate crimes reported – 43% increase from the year before.
(Source: Home Office)
Northern Ireland related race and religion related incidents and hate crimes in 2014-2015:
- 2,277 race related incidents and crimes reported – 36% increase from the year before.
- 80 religion related crimes and incidents reported – 116% increase from the year before.
(Source: Police Service of Northern Ireland)
Scotland race and religion related hate crimes in 2014-2015:
- 3,785 race related hate crimes reported – 9% decrease compared to the year before.
- 569 religiously aggravated crimes reported – 4% decrease from year before.
(Source: Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service)
Actions
Young people believed that negative images in the media and ignorance were the main causes of racism and religious discrimination in their communities. They agreed that if these were not addressed, it would cause further segregation in society; would allow people to develop and hold discriminatory views; cause people to fear other groups that they may not understand and create tension in society.
What are we going to do about it?
- Change discriminatory attitudes of young people towards race and religion.
- Raise levels of understanding about different races and religions, communities and cultures.
- Challenge negative images of race and religion on social media.
- Promote diversity and inclusion within communities.
When are we releasing more details and getting started?
It has already begun! The campaign launched during our National Day of Action on Friday 22nd January 2016.
What’s been happening online?
You can follow all the action on Twitter via the hashtag #DontHateEducate
I’m a Member of Youth Parliament – where can I find resources?
Find everything you need for the campaign below:
Phase 1
Phase 2
Phase 3
- Session toolkit for use in schools remember you’ll also need preparing to meet your of Head of school
The British Youth Council and UK Youth Parliament released details today (Friday 16thOctober) of their largest ever youth referendum ballot of issues to be debated in the House Of Commons by young elected representatives. Living Wage (the real one) topped the poll, followed by Curriculum for Life, Mental Health, Public Transport, and tacking Racism and Religious Discrimination.
This years campaign has seen a 10% increase on last year (877,488 votes) setting a new record for the biggest youth consultation of its kind in UK history, with nearly 1 in 5 of all young people aged 11-18, taking part.
The Make Your Mark ballot, supported by this year by NCS Trust (National Citizen Service), Local Authorities, Parliament, The British Youth Council and the Cabinet Office gives young people across the country a say on what is to be debated to be a priority campaign by their Members of Youth Parliament (MYPs) in their annual House of Commons debate, to held this year on 13th November.
The five issues that received the most votes in the ballot are:
- Living Wage. Everyone should be able to live comfortably. Everyone aged 16 or over should be paid at least the Living Wage of £7.85 per hour (£9.15 in London). (The ‘Living Wage’ as devised by the Living Wage Foundation.)
- A Curriculum to prepare us for life. Schools should cover topics including finance, sex and relationships and politics in the curriculum.
- Mental health. Services should be improved with young people’s help and mental health education should be compulsory and challenge stereotypes.
- Transport. Make public transport cheaper, better and accessible for all.
- Tackling racism and religious discrimination, particularly against people who are Muslim or Jewish.All young people should work together to combat racism and other forms of discrimination, and ensure we know the dangers of such hatred.
Each issue ranked most important to young people will become the topics of debate within the chamber on Friday 13th November during the UK Youth Parliament’s sixth sitting in the House of Commons. This years debate is due to be chaired by John Bercow MP, Speaker of the House of Commons who has chaired every debate in the House of Commons since their first sitting in 2009. The sitting of youth parliamentarians is still the only time anyone other than MPs debate on the famous green benches with MPs only recently granting access for this new term of Parliament. The debates will be concluded with a vote to decide on which issues should become their priority campaign in 2016.
Ciara Brodie, [17] Procedures Group representative for North West, UK Youth Parliament said: “This is yet more proof that if you give young people the opportunity to have their voices heard they’ll jump at the opportunity! Every year the Make Your Mark campaign creates such a buzz, and its so inspiring to see so many young people involved! I’d like to thank every single young person who took part, this is just the beginning of our journey lobbying for change for and with our peers!”
Jon Foster, Chair, British Youth Council said: “This number of ballots represents the phenomenal efforts Members of Youth Parliament, their peers, schools and our partners have made up and down the country to ensure young people have a chance to tell us exactly what the UK Youth Parliament should be prioritising. Members of Youth Parliament can now walk into the commons armed with a massive mandate for debate and I can’t wait to see them in action next month!”
Members of Parliament from across the House rallied on College Green outside Parliament in support of the launch of the Make Your Mark campaign. Minister for Youth, Rob Wilson MP and newly appointed Shadow Chief Whip, Rosie Winterton MP were among some of the MPs who attended our Parliament launch. This follows our initial launch appealing to young people (aged 11-18 years old) to take part in ‘Make Your Mark’ its annual ballot of young people living in the UK.
The Make Your Mark ballot contains 10 policies voted for by Members of Youth Parliament including poverty, mental health, curriculum, climate change and votes at 16 (for full list see notes) and have reflected their election pledges in local elections across the UK. The campaign will see Members and Volunteer Campaigners across the country, inviting young people in schools and youth clubs to take this opportunity to have their say to Government and society.
The photo call, which will see Members of Parliament taking part before and after our first Prime Ministers Questions of the term will take place on College Green, Westminster between 9am and 3pm with peaks at 9:30am, 11:00am, 12:45pm and 1.30pm.
This year’s campaign, supported by the NCS (National Citizen Service), aims to reach 1 million young people and break last year’s record 876,488 young people taking part. The ballot will contain 10 policies that address the key issues facing young people in the UK, which Members of Youth Parliament have championed and shaped on behalf of local constituencies.
The aim of the exercise is to bring these issues to the attention of Government Ministers, including the Minister for Civil Society / and Youth Policy who will attend and reply on behalf of the Government. The Commons debate will be chaired by The Rt Hon John Bercow MP, Speaker of the House of Commons, who recently opened the UK Youth Parliament in Exeter at its Annual Sitting (which meets alternately outside London). Young members will then walk through the division lobbies to vote on what should be a become their priority campaigns for 2015/16. In previous years they have chosen Living Wage, Votes at 16, Education and Transport and Mental Health.
Young people can take part in the consultation by visiting: www.ukyouthparliament.org.uk/makeyourmark
James Cathcart, Chief Executive of the British Youth Council, which manages the UK Youth Parliament and the campaign said: “This is the biggest youth ballot in the UK and Europe – when over a million are expected to ask the Government to listen to their concerns. Young people do care, are active, want change – and have something to say. Lets listen. Its great that nearly 100 MPs are supporting this launch from across parties. We ask that they will also take the results seriously and debate the issues in Parliament.”
Minhaz Abedin, Member of Youth Parliament for Leeds said: “This is a huge opportunity for young people to have their voice heard! For too long politicians have ignored the voice of young people but now we have a platform they can’t ignore. The more voices we canvas and listen to, the harder it’ll be for anyone to ignore us. I can’t wait to see the chamber packed with MYPs that are there with one purpose; to voice the opinion of young people.”
This year’s Youth Parliament, which itself was elected in local elections by 100,000s teenagers, is expected to be one of the most diverse collection of representatives to sit on the green benches ever – with representation for women, ethnic minorities, and faiths. The young elected reps, aged 12-18, include many facing the very day to day challenges that their campaigns seek to address.