Press releases to journalists.
The British Youth Council is launching ‘Our Vision, Our Parliament’, a manifesto which outlines our vision for the next Parliament. The manifesto sets out the six priorities that we want the next government to address the issues of young people including better mental health provision for young people and an opportunity for young people to influence Brexit negotiations.
Young people want the voting age to be lowered to 16, mental health services for young people to be improved, the introduction of a real living wage for everyone, the restoration of funding for youth services, first aid taught in schools and the opportunity to actively participate and meaningfully engage in the Brexit negotiations.
The British Youth Council has written to 17 political parties – including the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, UKIP, SNP and Labour. Each party has been asked to respond with their thoughts on our top six issues. All responses will be published ahead of polling day on June 8th.
The manifesto forms part of our wider General Election campaign calling on politicians to not just talk about young people but to listen to their concerns and do something about them. Following the General Election, the British Youth Council will be lobbying the Government and calling on politicians to keep their promises to young people.
Anna Barker, Chair, British Youth Council said: “It’s imperative that candidates across the country listen to the issues that young people are passionate about and tell young people what they plan to do about their priorities. I’m really looking forward to hearing back from each political party so we can share their responses with young people.”
The British Youth Council’s Youth Select Committee today (Friday 19th May 2017) announces a new inquiry into body image. The Committee is calling for evidence from a wide range of witnesses, including organisations and interested parties, as well as young people who have been affected by body image issues.
The Youth Select Committee, now in its sixth year, is a British Youth Council initiative supported by the House of Commons. The eleven committee members are aged 14-18 and include Members of the Youth Parliament, Youth Councillors, a Youth Mayor and representatives from each of the devolved nations. Body image was one of the top ten issues voted for by almost one million young people in UK Youth Parliament’s Make Your Mark ballot in 2016.
The committee will look at issues including:
- Has the growing use of social media and communications platforms amongst young people encouraged practices and attitudes that entrench poor body image? What is the link between “sexting” and body dissatisfaction?
- Do internet companies, social media platforms or other platforms have a responsibility to tackle trends which entrench poor body image? What are they already doing in this area? What more should they be doing?
- Are particular groups of young people particularly prone to poor body image, or less likely to seek help? What causes these trends?
- In relation to young men and boys, minority ethnic groups, and those who self-identify as transgender: what are the specific challenges facing young people in these groups? How effective is existing support?
- To what extent is dissatisfaction with body image contributing to the increase in mental health problems amongst children and young people?
Thomas Copeland, 18, Chair of the Youth Select Committee said: “This year the Youth Select Committee will be examining Body Image. Body Image has become an issue of considerable concern for young people, so it is crucial that they are given a voice on this important subject. We are really looking forward to hearing what young people and professionals highlight as the key areas of potential policy improvement throughout the inquiry.”
The Committee’s call for evidence closes on 16th June 2017 and the Youth Select Committee will hold oral evidence sessions in the House of Commons on 7th and 14th July 2017.
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For media enquiries or to interview a member of the committee please contact:
Rhammel Afflick, Communications & Media Officer
rhammel.afflick@byc.org.uk | +44 (0)20 7250 8376 | +44 (0)79 32 505 214
For inquiry related queries please contact:
bycyouthselect@parliament.uk
Notes to Editors
- The British Youth Councilis the National Youth Council of the UK. A youth-led charity, we empower young people aged 25 and under to influence and inform the decisions that affect their lives. We support young people to get involved in their communities and democracy locally, nationally and internationally, making a difference as volunteers, campaigners, decision-makers and leaders.
- Committee Membership is as follows: Jade-Yasmin Sides, 17, Member of Youth Parliament for Wrexham; Alizeh Abdul Rahman, 18, Member of Youth Parliament for Plymouth; Thomas Copeland, 18, Belfast; Michael Bryan, 15, Bournemouth; Samuel Pidgeon, 17, Kettering; Rebecca Moore, 17, Other Youth Reps seat, North Shields; Alex Robertson, 18, Dumbarton; Zacchaeus Richard Hayward, 14, Rhos-on-Sea; Oscar Daniel, 13, Young Mayor for Whitley Bay; Aisha Malik-Smith, 17, Welling; Emma Curran, 18, Wolverhampton
- Media spokespeople are available on request. To organise interviews please email press@byc.org.uk
- The British Youth Council can be found on Twitter @bycLIVE, and the UK Parliament outreach service can be found on @YourUKParl
- For inquiry-related questions please contact the inquiry team on bycyouthselect@parliament.uk
- Professional images of the 2017 Youth Select Committee, including individual portraits and a group shot are available to download here.
- Written evidence should be submitted via email to bycyouthselect@parliament.uk or via post to Youth Select Committee, c/o Nehal Bradley-Depani, Clerk of the Youth Select Committee, 2nd Floor, 14 Tothill Street, SW1H 9NB. Evidence that is submitted will be published on the British Youth Council website. However, the British Youth Council do reserve the right redact evidence partially or in full should it contain information we consider to be libel. If you do not wish your name to be published then please indicate this when you submit your evidence. You will still need to provide your name and contact details as the Committee will not accept anonymous evidence but that information will not be shared online. Material already published elsewhere should not form the basis of a submission but may be referred to in the response. The Committee will not investigate or publish any individual cases of complaint/allegations.
- Further information about how to submit evidence is available at: byc.org.uk/youthselect
The Government have confirmed they have no plans to introduce a lowering voting age of 16 for the General Election which will take place on Thursday 8th June 2017. The British Youth Council are disappointed to learn that yet again 1.5 million 16 and 17-year-olds will be denied a vote.
In response to a petition calling for the voting age to be lowered, the Government states ‘the House of Commons has debated the question of lowering the voting age in a number of contexts, and has repeatedly voted against lowering it.’ Regrettably, 16 and 17-year-olds will not just miss out on the snap election, but will also miss out on the May elections which will see the election of six newly-created combined authority mayors.
Since the Scottish Independence Referendum, in which 16 and 17-year-olds were given a vote, young people have been turned away from casting their vote on eight separate occasions, without including the numerous by-elections. In 2014, 75% of 16 and 17-year-olds in Scotland voted in the independence referendum, a vote that set a precedent and should serve as proof that when young people feel they have an authentic opportunity to influence change they will take part.
Over the past 14 years, the Votes at 16 Coalition have been tracking support for a lower voting age. Their research indicates all Members of Scottish Parliament in unanimous support, huge increases in support within the House of Lords and over 40% of Members of Parliament declaring their support for votes at 16. We’re hoping the common sense argument will prevail – alongside a ‘curriculum for life’ with citizenship/political education and easy voter registration, votes at 16 is not only good for the future of democracy but a necessary change.
Anna Barker, Chair of the British Youth Council said: “It’s disappointing that 16 and 17-year-olds will be denied a chance to vote in one of the most important elections of our lifetime. A precedent was set following the Scottish Independence Referendum in 2014, and yet eight elections later 16 and 17-year-olds across the UK still haven’t been entrusted with the vote.
“It is extremely regrettable that the common sense argument has not prevailed. When young people feel they have an authentic opportunity to influence change they will take part.”
Last week Members of Parliament backed the Prime Minster’s bid for a snap election on Thursday 8th June 2017. In an open letter sent to all political parties, organisations from across the youth sector are now calling on all party leaders to make a firm commitment to young people across the country.
The open letter, which is signed by the British Youth Council and other leading youth organisations, requests party leaders make an explicit commitment to represent young people’s demands in their upcoming manifestos. At a time when Parliament will be shaping a post-Brexit Britain, young people’s overwhelming demand to be part of the political process must be acted upon.
The joint letter comes following our initial call to politicians last week which demanded politicians talked to young people and not about them.
An open letter to UK political leaders from youth movement @weareundivided #GE2017 https://t.co/e3UD4ACBJK pic.twitter.com/dBJLxDU247
— ITV News (@itvnews) April 26, 2017
Download the open letter signed by over 50 leading youth organisations.
The Prime Minster has announced her proposal for an early General Election. The election is due to take place on Thursday 8th June 2017, however, Members of Parliament will vote on the proposal in the House of Commons on Wednesday 19th April 2017. In response, the British Youth Council calls on parties and politicians across the country to talk to young people not about them.
Young people are passionate about the future and must be given an authentic opportunity to have a say, influence the debate and set out their priorities. The upcoming election will hold more importance than usual as political parties set out their plans for a ‘Post-Brexit Britain’ and young people must be included in that conversation.
We’ll be reminding parties to keep the promises they have made to young people – especially the five priority issues set out in our 2015 General Election Manifesto ‘Our Parliament. Our Vision’. The issues included improving mental health provision, saving youth services and creating a real living wage for everyone.
The June snap election will also mark yet another election in which 1.5 million 16 and 17-year-olds will be denied a vote. We call on all parties to ensure that all 16 and 17-year-olds of the future are no longer turned away from the ballot box.
The British Youth Council will be contacting the Government and the Electoral Commission to discuss voter registration for the General Election. We proudly supported sector-wide efforts to get young people registered to vote in the lead up to 2015 General Election and the EU Referendum in 2016. In the meantime, the British Youth Council is urging young people across the country to register to vote as soon as possible to ensure they can have a direct say in the direction of the country.
We are currently working with Parliament to establish how this will impact the Youth Select Committee inquiry on Body Image and the UK Youth Parliament which is due to sit in the House of Commons in November 2017. More details will be released in due course.
Anna Barker, Chair, British Youth Council said: “Politicians across the country must engage young people in a meaningful way ahead of the announced snap election. They have 7 weeks to convince young people that they can deliver on the issues that matter to them. Those who seek to represent us must talk to us and not about us.
“It is however of great concern to us that once again 1.5 million 16 and 17-year-olds will be denied a vote in an election. Political parties now have a real opportunity to ensure that this is an issue of the past. Empower young people and give them the voice they deserve.
“Lastly, I’d like to call on young people to register to vote, research the issues, and then turn out on June 8th! Young people will be greatly affected by the next Government’s decisions, particularly as our next Government will be tasked with negotiating how we leave the European Union. Let’s send a clear message to politicians in June!”
The British Youth Council and YMCA England have taken the decision to postpone this evening’s All Party Parliamentary Group on Youth Affairs due to take place on the Parliamentary estate due to an ongoing police incident at Parliament.
Young people who have made their way to the event are welcome to attend the British Youth Council’s office, CAN Mezzanine, 49-51 East Road, London, N1 6AH.
If you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact the head office on 0207 250 8374.
We will be in touch to arrange a new date for the next meeting.
The Government has today (Tuesday 7th February 2017) released its official response to the British Youth Council’s Youth Select Committee Report – ‘Young People and the Issues of Racism and Religious Discrimination’. In an unprecedented move, the joint response has been issued by three departments including the Department for Education, Home Office and Department for Communities and Local Government. The response states the Government’s commitment to building ‘a country that works for everyone’.
The joint Government response, which offers an answer to each of the Youth Select Committee’s recommendations, makes a commitment to support schools to produce their own codes of practice, bringing together the various statutory duties and policies, to set out the principles for a whole school approach to inclusivity and tolerance. The Government has also welcomed Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton’s proposal to the establish a national hate crime advisory group.
The response follows the Youth Select Committee’s inquiry which considered both written and oral evidence and concluded that racist taunting was being dismissed as banter in schools across the UK. In the report, published in November 2016 the Committee offered recommendations pertaining to the level and quality of awareness and education in schools, the prevalence of racism and religious discrimination and how organisations and young people are attempting to tackle it, how the issues can be tackled at a local level by communities and how tackling racism and religious discrimination should be approached at a national level by the Government.
Throughout the inquiry, evidence was gathered from a range of witnesses, including charities, young people, academics, Ministers and education professionals. The inquiry was triggered after the issue topped the UK Youth Parliament’s Make Your Mark ballot in 2015 of 969,992 young people in the UK.
The Youth Select Committee have made it clear that in order to tackle racism and religious discrimination changes must be made to the PSHE syllabus. Despite not agreeing, the Government have stated they are ‘actively considering the case for further action on PHSE’, a message which represents a change in tone in the Government’s response on PSHE lessons.
During the inquiry, which took place in the wake of ‘post-Brexit racism’, the Government published their Hate Crime Action Plan which looks to focuses on reducing hate crime, increasing reporting, and improving support for victims. The Government have made it clear that they are invested in tackling racism and religious discrimination, and the British Youth Council will be looking to the Government’s response to the Casey Review, which is due to be released in Spring 2017, to see what steps the Government
Bronagh Hughes, Chair of the Youth Select Committee said:
“The Youth Select Committee welcomes the Government’s swift and comprehensive response to our report published late last year, ‘Young People and the Issue of Racism and Religious Discrimination’, and is particularly appreciative of the cross-departmental nature of the response we have received.
“Whilst we do wish that more of our recommendations could have been supported, we were particularly pleased to read of the Department of Education’s consideration of further action on the teaching of PSHE, and the Government’s welcome of the establishment of a national hate crime Independent Advisory Group for young people. These are issues that are very important to all members of the Youth Select Committee.”
Find out more about the Youth Select Committee
Download the Youth Select Committee Report ‘Young People and the Issues of Racism and Religious Discrimination’
Download Government response to Youth Select Committee Report ‘Young People and the Issues of Racism and Religious Discrimination’
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For media enquires or to interview a member of the committee please contact:
Rhammel Afflick, Communications & Media Officer
rhammel.afflick@byc.org.uk | +44 (0)20 7250 8376 | +44 (0)79 85 260 337
For inquiry related queries please contact:
bycyouthselect@parliament.uk
Notes to Editors
- The Youth Select Committee is a British Youth Council initiative, supported by the House of Commons. The eleven committee members are aged 13-18 and include two Members of the UK Youth Parliament (MYPs), two youth councillors, a Young Mayor, one elected representative from each of the devolved nations and three reserved seats.
- The British Youth Councilis the National Youth Council of the UK. A youth-led charity, we empower young people aged 25 and under to influence and inform the decisions that affect their lives. We support young people to get involved in their communities and democracy locally, nationally and internationally, making a difference as volunteers, campaigners, decision-makers and leaders.
- The Youth Select Committee took evidence over two oral evidence sessions and received written submissions from 67 contributors. Witnesses included teachers, young people, charities, academics, service providers and the Mayor of Bristol.
- Committee Membership is as follows: Bronagh Hughes, 17, Northern Ireland Seat: Chair of the Youth Select Committee, Elif Emma True, 17, Youth Council Seat: Vice Chair of the Youth Select Committee, Rhys Barnes, 18, Member of Barnet Youth Board, Otis Skitch, 17, Member of Youth Parliament for Torbay, Opprah Manyika, 19, Other Representative Seat, Neil Kotre,17, Other Representative Seat, Namir Rahim Chowdhury, 18, Other Representative Seat, Martin Gallacher, 17, Scottish Seat: Member of Scottish Youth Parliament for Glasgow Cathcart, Jonathan Quin, Young Mayor of Surrey Heath, Brahmpreet Kaur Gulati, Member of Youth Parliament for Leicester and Emily Jones, 14, Welsh Seat: Caerphilly Youth Forum.
- Media spokespeople are available on request throughout the day. To organise interviews please email press@byc.org.uk
- The Youth Select Committee’s report ‘racism and religious discrimination’ was published on Wednesday 16th November 2016. You can find the report here: https://www.byc.org.uk/uk/youth-select-committee/reports
- Professional images of the Youth Select Committee, including individual portraits, group shots and photographs of witnesses giving evidence are available to download here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/uk_parliament/albums/72157667962269053. (Please credit all photos UK Parliament/ Jessica Taylor).
- Further information about the Youth Select Committee is here: byc.org.uk/youthselect
UK Youth Parliament has commenced their campaign to ensure all 1.5 million 16 and 17-year-olds can vote in elections. The aim of the year-long campaign is to build on the increasing support for a lower voting age of 16 in all elections and referenda. Today’s National Day of Action will see Members of Youth Parliament call on politicians and schools to take part in campaign activities such as talks, and events.
Over the next year, UK Youth Parliament will campaign, with the support of the Votes at 16 Coalition, to widen the conversation, increase support among decision makers and highlight young people’s current participation in democracy. The Votes at 16 Coalition has worked to make the case for votes at 16 since its establishment by the British Youth Council in 2003.
The campaign starts following the Make Your Mark ballot which took place in the autumn of 2016 which saw the issue become one of the top five issues with 112,680 young people nominating it as their most important issue. In a subsequent vote by Members of Youth Parliament in the House of Commons votes at 16 was chosen as the next national campaign.
UK Youth Parliament’s House of Commons Sitting 2016
Lucy Boardman, 17, Member of Youth Parliament for Stockport said: “Votes at 16 is gaining more and more support, and it’s vital that we keep this momentum going when the democratic voices of 16 and 17-year-olds continue to be ignored. It’s unacceptable that 1.5 million young people were denied a vote in the EU Referendum last year; a historical decision that will affect us for generations to come. We must continue to strive towards Votes at 16, to ensure that the voices and opinions of young people across the UK, are listened to. This year we’ll be calling on local authorities and decision makers to come out in support of Votes at 16, and give the next generation the chance to have their voices heard.”
Anna Barker, Chair of the British Youth Council said: “The denial of 16 and 17-year-olds at the ballot box remains an issue that young people have challenged since as early as 1992. I’m delighted to hear Members of Youth Parliament across the country will be calling on local decision makers to support votes at 16. This year, UK Youth Parliament will think national, but act locally in its attempts to change minds and challenge the status quo. It’s time we had some parity on the issue. Scottish 16 and 17-year-olds have been empowered to vote. Now it’s right that young people across the UK are afforded and entrusted with the same rights.”
Over the past 14 years, the Votes at 16 Coalition have been tracking support for a lower voting age. Their research indicates all Members of Scottish Parliament in unanimous support, huge increases in support within the House of Lords and as many as for 41% of Members of Parliament declaring their support for votes at 16. Recently we’ve also seen local authorities such as Norwich City Council, come forward in support and this year we’re hoping to engage with even more local councils.
In 2014, 75% of 16 and 17-year-olds in Scotland voted in the independence referendum, a vote that has set a precedent and should serve as proof that when young people feel they have an authentic opportunity to influence change they will take part. We’re hoping the common sense argument will prevail – alongside a ‘curriculum for life’ with citizenship/political education and easy voter registration, votes at 16 is not only good for the future of democracy but a necessary change.
You can find out more about the campaign here: http://ukyouthparliament.org.uk/votesat16
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For media enquires or to interview a Member(s) of Youth Parliament please contact:
Rhammel Afflick, Communications & Media Officer
rhammel.afflick@byc.org.uk | +44 (0)20 7250 8376 | +44 (0)79 32 505 214
Notes to Editors
- UK Youth Parliament provides opportunities for 11-18-year-olds to use their elected voice to bring about social change through meaningful representation and campaigning.
- UK Youth Parliament is hosted and managed by the charity The British Youth Council. The British Youth Council is the National Youth Council of the UK. A youth-led charity, we empower young people aged 25 and under to influence and inform the decisions that affect their lives. We support young people to get involved in their communities and democracy locally, nationally and internationally, making a difference as volunteers, campaigners, decision-makers and leaders.
- ‘Votes at 16’ is the UK Youth Parliament’s 2017 campaign following a vote by Members of Youth Parliament at their House of Commons Sitting on Friday 11th November 2016.
- The Make Your Mark took place from Friday 12th August and Wednesday 5th October 2016. Young people were able to take part in online and via various printed ballots.
- Media spokespeople are available on request at various points throughout the campaign. To organise interviews please email press@byc.org.uk
The British Youth Council welcomes the Government’s proposal to focus mental health reforms on young people but we recognise more is needed to ensure parity of esteem for children and young people’s mental and physical health.
On Monday 9th January 2017, Prime Minister, Theresa May announced measures to transform mental health support in our schools, workplaces and communities. In a speech at the Charity Commission, May set out measures which would see additional training for teachers, an extra £15m for community care, online self-checking and mental health first aid training.
The British Youth Council’s Youth Select Committee published a report on young people’s mental health in the winter of 2015. The Committee found a range of issues facing young people’s mental health, including the absence of support and signposting in schools, bullying online, stigma around the discussion of mental health and the growing pressures and decreasing funding.
Youth Select Committee oral evidence session on young people’s mental health in June 2015
The Government have since taken on a number of its recommendations and we’re pleased to see the Prime Minister reaffirming their commitments. In our recommendations, we made it clear all teachers should receive mandatory minimum training on young people’s mental health as part of their initial teacher training and we’re looking forward to seeing what this works in practice in the coming months.
Rhys Hart, Chair of the Youth Select Committee on Young People’s Mental Health said: “I’m delighted that the Government have reaffirmed their commitment to young people’s mental health. The Youth Select Committee’s comprehensive investigation discovered some important and serious issues around the current state of young people’s mental health services and although we have stressed the importance of mandatory training for teachers on young people’s mental health it’s imperative a whole school approach is taken to ensure we really tackle the issues at hand.”
Read the Youth Select Committee’s report on ‘Young People’s Mental Health.
Download Government Response to the Youth Select Committee’s Report on ‘Young People’s Mental Health’.
The British Youth Council’s Youth Select Committee will launch its report on ‘racism and religious discrimination’ on Wednesday 16th November 2016. The report, launched as part of UK Parliament Week, concludes that people’s attitudes towards racism and religious discrimination have become normalised and there is ambiguity surrounding what constitutes such behaviour. It stresses that the Government needs to do more to define racism and religious discrimination as well as to raise awareness of what these definitions actually mean in practice. The committee also recommends making PSHE a compulsory subject in schools, with teachers receiving better training on tackling racism and religious discrimination; a recommendation the Government has not ruled out.
Bronagh Hughes, 18, Chair of the Youth Select Committee said: “Throughout our extensive inquiry into racism and religious discrimination, it became apparent to the Committee that racism and religious discrimination remains prevalent in the lives of many young people living in the UK. The UK’s decision to leave the EU brought this issue to the forefront of political discussion following the post-Brexit surge in hate crime that surfaced. Moving forward, we must ensure that this is high on the agenda for decision makers so that we can make positive steps to combat both racism and religious discrimination. The Committee is really keen to hear the Government’s response to our recommendations.”
Now in its fifth year, the Youth Select Committee, supported by the House of Commons, takes evidence in public and has its proceedings streamed online and recorded in Hansard. The eleven committee members are aged 15-19 and include Members of UK Youth Parliament, Youth Councillors, a Young Mayor, reserved seats and representatives from each of the devolved nations. Previous inquiries have reported on transport, education, votes at 16, and mental health.
This year’s inquiry considered:
- the level and quality of awareness and education in schools
- the prevalence of racism and religious discrimination and how organisations and young people are attempting to tackle it
- how the issues can be tackled at a local level by communities;
- how tackling racism and religious discrimination should be approached at a national level by the Government.
Evidence was gathered from a range of witnesses, including charities, young people, academics, and professionals.
‘Tackling racism and religious discrimination’ was chosen as one of the top priorities in a ballot of 969,992 young people conducted in 2015, and subsequently became the topic of focus for this year’s Youth Select Committee. The issue was highlighted as a priority once again in a 2016 poll of 978,216 young people, making it clear that the issue is of growing importance to young people living in the UK. The committee realises that despite the UK having strong equal rights laws and a Government Equalities Office responsible for taking action to remove barriers to equality and help build a fairer society, racism and religious discrimination continue to remain prevalent in everyday life for many people living in the UK. The UK’s decision to leave the European Union, and the repercussions of that vote in subsequent weeks brought this issue to the forefront of public attention.