Amplify Youth Voices this General Election: A Guide for Young People and Adults

It's your life, Give an x, Register to vote, Photo Credit: Give an X

The run-up to the General Election is a nerve-wracking time where we start to understand our politicians’ differing visions of the future and are given the power to make the best choice for ourselves and our community.

The General Election is our chance to decide who we want to represent us in Parliament. In each area of the country (called a ‘constituency’), all eligible people aged 18 or over can vote for their Member of Parliament (MP).  Whoever is elected in your area will be an MP for up to five years. The election is an important opportunity to decide who will represent you in the House of Commons and take actions to make a real difference to you and your community.  Voting for your local MP also has an impact on who runs the country.
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With just a few short weeks to go before the election, it’s important that we take time to listen, learn and reflect on what really matters to us. In the last general election in 2019, less than half of those aged 18 to 24 voted. (That’s in comparison to almost three quarters of those aged 65 and over.) Voting is an important way to ensure that young people's concerns and experiences are considered by people in power.

General Election 2024: A simplified guide to voting, Image Credit: Neurodiverse Connection

 
Political decisions that are made today will impact the present and future lives of young people across the country, but we are concerned that their voices are often absent from the conversations and decision making.

If you’re curious about learning more about The Election or voting for the first time, Neurodiverse Connection have created a simplified guide to voting. This guide sets out the different way to vote and how to register in all areas of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, as well as the different deadlines for doing so. Download Neurodiverse Connection simplified guide to voting by clicking here.

In this blog post, we will share some ways our Mortal Fools community can learn about the issues that directly affect young people AND we will share some ways that young people can make sure their voices are heard in this election period and beyond!
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Photo of the youth parliament, Photo Credit: UK Youth Parliament

For Adults (over 18s), here are a few suggestions as to how you can learn about young people’s ideas:

Read The Youth Parliament Manifesto

The UK Youth Parliament Manifesto has been created by youth representatives (Aged 11-19) from across the country. It clearly outlines the beliefs and priorities of young people and covers nearly every topic relevant to this election from education to inclusivity and from the climate crisis to the treatment of refugees. This document shows that young people are capable of understanding complex topics and presenting their beliefs in an eloquent and persuasive way, and it’s time we started listening: Click here to access the Youth Parliament Manifesto!

Watch the Our Generation, Our Vote project

Our Generation, Our Vote is a large-scale political literacy programme developed by a coalition of children's charities and organisations. They encourage schools and youth groups around the country to take part in age-appropriate activities to help them learn about politics and our voting system. The project concludes with participants taking part in a mock election.
On Friday 28th June the results of the mock election will be announced via Sky Kids and First News. For the first time, we will be able to see how a broad cross-section of young people would vote, and we can choose to take their opinions into account when we hit the polls on the 4th July.
Find out more about Our Generation, Our Vote by clicking here.

Read the YMCA General Election Manifesto: Now’s our chance

YMCA England and Wales have produced a manifesto in consultation with young people outlining five key areas they believe should be on the agenda at this general election: Youth Services, Housing And Homelessness, Cost Of Living, Wellbeing, and Education. As one of the largest youth charities in the UK, they have developed strong relationships with young people around the country and are well-placed to represent their interests. 
Check out the YMCA General Election Manifesto by clicking here.

Talk to the young people in your life!
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This may sound obvious but the best way you will understand what young people in your area think and need is by talking to them. Tell them about what’s going on in the election campaigns and ask them what they think about different policies that will affect their lives and futures. You may be surprised by what you learn.
Resources like #ChildrenAtTheTable might be helpful in scaffolding conversations – click here to download.

Our Generation, Our Vote, Photo Credit: Democracy Classroom

 
For Young People: here’s how you can get involved in Politics and make your voice heard

Vote

If you can vote….make sure you do! It’s important to vote in every election. You can register to vote by clicking here.
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Give an X is a youth-led, non-partisan youth voter registration campaign designed to get every single young person registered to vote and into polling booths for the next election. To connect with Give an X and to check out their advice guidance about voting, click here!

Download an election resource

Children’s Society have pulled together everything you need to know to get involved in the election – and beyond. This guide is relevant if you’re 18 or over and eligible to vote, and they’ve also included information for under-18s about how to make your voice heard. Download Children’s Society Election Resource by clicking here.

Democracy Classroom have lots of digital resources that give an overview of some of basics about understanding UK Parliament, how the Government works, our political system, democracy, voting etc. Browse the Democracy Classroom resources by clicking here.

Talk to people

Talking to people is often the most meaningful way to share what is important to you and learn about different views. You will find many people of all ages are fascinated by politics and enjoy hearing about new ideas and perspectives.

Support a charity campaign

There are many charities and organisations that use their platform to campaign for change. You can help them by sharing their campaigns online, signing their petitions or contributing your story about how an issue has affected you.

There are so many charities out there and we recommend you do your own research and find a campaign that really speaks to you. If you’re looking for a place to start here are three large charities that have the power to influence politicians and amplify the voices of everyday people:

• Trussell Trust campaigns for the elimination of food poverty in the UK.
• Shelter campaigns for affordable housing for everyone and better rights for UK renters.
• Stonewall aims to protect the rights of all LGBT+ people in the UK
  

Applications now open! Become an #IWILL ambassador, Photo Credit: #iwill movement

Become a Youth Ambassador
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If you would like to take your campaigning to the next level, becoming a Youth Ambassador could be for you!

Many organisations run Youth Ambassador Programmes, providing training and support for young people to represent their organisation and speak up about what matters to them.

A fantastic Youth Ambassador Programme is run by the #IWill movement, who provide ambassadors with opportunities to attend conferences, contribute to events and use the organisation's online platform to gain support for their ideas.
Find out more about becoming a Youth Ambassador by clicking here.

Volunteer in your community

Volunteering for a cause you care about can be a simple way to make a difference and meet people who share your interests.

Volunteering isn’t always seen as political but it’s all about showing up for your community and making change locally, which is just as important as what goes on in Westminster.

Get involved with your Youth Council or Youth Parliament

Getting involved with your regional Youth Council or Youth Parliament can help you find community and share what matters to your age group. 

- Youth Councils are groups of young people aged 11-19, who are elected to represent the views of young people to local decision-makers.

- Youth Parliament members are also aged 11-19 and have a very similar role but are part of the National Youth Parliament, working with young people from across the country to represent their views on a national platform.
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Much like local and general elections, for both roles, candidates make a manifesto sharing their views and changes they would like to campaign for. Young people then vote for their favourite candidate through their school or by getting in touch with [email protected] 
To learn more about taking part in Northumberland click here.

Register to vote, Photo Credit: GIve an X

We hope this post has given you some ideas of how we can work together to meaningfully include young people’s voices in this election.

If you can vote, register by the 18th June 11.59pm by clicking here and following the simple instructions.

And get down to your local polling station on the 4th July! It’s vital that we get as many people out voting as possible, so spread the word to friends, neighbours, colleagues, family members and everyone else in your life.
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See you there!

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