WORCESTERSHIRE Youth Cabinet has been visiting schools, youth centres and events across the county to encourage young people to play a bigger role in politics.
The visits have been part of the Make Your Mark campaign which gives all young people aged 11 to 18 in the UK the chance to have a say on the biggest issues facing young people.
Worcestershire Youth Cabinet members, supported by Worcestershire Children First, visited Tudor Grange Academy Worcester, Perry Wood Primary School, CrownGate Shopping Centre, Pershore Riverside Youth Centre, Norton College, Heart of Worcestershire College and other schools and youth centres throughout February and March.
They collected votes from more than 1,260 young people.
Youth Cabinet members explained the work of the youth cabinet, ran a debating workshop and spoke about how young people could engage with politics.
Each visit resulted in students and young people voting in the national Make Your Mark campaign to share their views on the things that mattered to them most.
Charlotte Mackie, the STEPS lead teacher at Tudor Grange Academy Worcester, said: “Students at TGAW have really enjoyed the opportunity to share their views on the issues that affect them most.
“Taking part in Make Your Mark has formed part of our Citizenship curriculum and has provided a great chance to discuss voting and political engagement with students.”
Anusha Salhan, Chair of Worcestershire Youth Cabinet said: “Getting young people engaged in grassroots politics from an early age is important.
“Young people engaging in their community through youth groups such as the Worcestershire Youth Cabinet encourages people to think about their local area and what they can do to help others and see this change be enacted.”
Worcestershire Youth Cabinet joined together for the Make Your Mark 2024 vote count which will be submitted to UK Youth Parliament to let decision makers know the issues young people are most affected by.
Local results will help form the Worcestershire Youth Cabinet manifesto and decipher what projects they will work on to represent the county’s young people.
