Tuesday 30th October 2007
(ref:
WLCT145/2007)
The search is on for two young people to represent Wigan Borough at the UK Youth Parliament (UKYP) during 2008.
Each year young people across the borough elect two Members of the Youth Parliament (MYPs) for Wigan Borough by casting votes throughout January and February in local schools, Connexions Centres and online.
To stand in the elections you must be aged between 11 and 18 and live, work or go to college in Wigan Borough. And in order to be in with a chance of becoming one of 500 MYPs from across the country, local youngsters must declare their intention to stand for election at one of two training days to be held in Wigan and Leigh at the end of October.
Piers Brown represented Wigan Borough as an MYP in 2005 and now works for the charity that runs UKYP.
Piers says: “The opportunities that arise as a result of becoming an MYP are amazing and seem to be endless. You get to raise young people’s issues with local and national government and to organise campaigns, projects and events.
“I got the chance to attend the annual national UK Youth Parliament sitting at Leicester University and other really interesting events where I had the opportunity to chat with adults who had the power to make changes that could fulfil the wishes of myself and the young people who voted for me to represent them.
“I would highly recommend that anyone who has the slightest interest in local issues, be it from getting a park built on your local estate, reducing the cost of public transport or whatever, to get along to the training days to find out more.”
Neil Turner MP says: "These elections use innovative and exciting ways to raise the profile of democracy and participation by young people in the democratic process. A large part of the success of the elections comes about because so many young people are involved in their design and implementation, ably supported by the skills and enthusiasm of their youth participation workers. At the end of it the borough will also have a fabulous new batch of MYPs who will be able to provide leadership in the year ahead. I can’t wait to welcome them."
The UKYP training days will be held at the Wigan Investment Centre on Monday October 29th (10am – 4pm) and at Leigh Town Hall on Tuesday October 30th (10am – 4pm).
The role of an MYP will be explained fully at the training sessions and young people will be given support to prepare a speech that will form the basis of their election campaign. Lunch will be provided at both training days.
Youth workers from Wigan Council Children and Young People’s Services organise the UKYP elections locally and support the Wigan Borough MYPs throughout their term in office.
For further information or to book a place at either of the training days contact Angela or Maureen on (01942) 510112 or text 07930 192311.
