Young people advise MPs on how to fix politics

Participants on the UpRising leadership programme took part in an event to advise the Speaker's Conference - a committee of MPs who are investigating how Parliament can be made more representative. UpRisers are young people aged 19-25 year olds who are taking part in the UpRising leadership programme to develop their skills, networks and confidence to be leaders in their communities.

MPs Anne Begg, Ann Cryer, Fiona Mactaggart and Jo Swinson met with the UpRisers on Tuesday 10th March to discuss the disparity between the representation of women, ethnic minorities and disabled people in the House of Commons and their representation in the UK population at large. The MPs were especially interested in the apparent disengagement of young people from politics and political parties. They wanted to know from the UpRisers what should be done to get more young people involved in politics and interested in becoming MPs.

Commenting on the event, Zin Derfoufi, 22, a participant on the UpRising leadership programme, said:

"There is a huge lack of knowledge surrounding opportunities to get involved in local or national politics. Those who are interested are expected to somehow get hold of something somewhere that gives them a platform. We need to see more pro-activity from MPs and councillors. They should make it a habit to visit local schools & colleges, speak to young people, shadow a youth for the day, go to the parks and speak to people and to even be prepared to speak to 'gangs' - after all, they are a part of our community too."

Another UpRiser, Samira Hakim, 22, said:

"Children need to learn about voting in school, to develop and communicate their ideas, convictions and views about issues from a young age. They need to be taught advocacy through experience, not through boring citizenship classes that mean little in practice."

A third participant, Muna Hassan, 23, said:

‘'People often say young people aren't interested in politics but it is more that they don't know how to get into politics. We need more government initiatives that cater to the younger generation who are interested in their local community and want to get more involved in politics. Young people need a platform to be heard and to gain a better knowledge of how the political system works."

The UpRisers identified a number of challenges and problems with getting young people involved in politics, and making politics more representative, as well as some potential solutions.

Challenges and problems identified by the UpRisers included:

• Politicians don't pay enough attention to under-18s because they can't vote.
• Young people feel that politics is disjointed from societal problems.
• Politics reaches young people's lives too late. Politics should be present throughout the education system as part of the development process.
• Politics is not geared towards young people; policies do not address young people's concerns and interests; and there are too few young MPs.
• The students who tend to enter politics are the more academic ones.
• Many young people feel disengaged from party politics and none of the parties represent their views entirely. Political parties and debates in Parliament are seen as boring and disconnected from reality.

UpRisers suggested a number of possible solutions including:

• Making councillors and MPs more visible and accountable.
• More opportunities for young people to experience democratic processes in practice.
• More education and training about Parliament and politics.
• Raising awareness of role models that young people from different backgrounds can identify with.
• Structural change to the political system and Parliament (e.g. electoral reform, making it easier for parents to be involved in politics).

Earlier in the day, Omar Salem and Louise Pulford who run the UpRising leadership programme, gave evidence to the Speaker's Conference. They called for more efforts to develop young people's leadership potential and to link them to opportunities to get involved in politics. A recording of the evidence session can be listened to here. A full set of photos from the event are also available on the UK Parliament Flickr page http://www.flickr.com/photos/uk_parliament/sets/72157615116750091/

Background on the UpRising leadership programme

UpRising is a new leadership programme being developed by the Young Foundation to support and train a new generation of public leaders. UpRising identifies, recruits, develops and supports 19 to 25 year olds to enable them to play a greater role in politics and public decision-making.

The aim is to create a pool of talented young leaders from a range of backgrounds who can transform their communities for the better and take up positions of power in public institutions. UpRising was launched in 2008 and is being piloted in the East London boroughs of Barking and Dagenham, Newham and Tower Hamlets. It will then spread across London and into other major cities across the UK. The programme has cross-party support with Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg serving as its patrons.

Elements of the UpRising leadership programme include: monthly learning sessions; a weekend residential; support and advice to set up a community campaign; one-to-one mentoring; learning visits; networking events and placements. As well as developing skills and networks, UpRising aims to create opportunities for young people to form strong ties and work together to serve their communities.

To find out more about UpRising visit www.uprising.youngfoundation.org.

UpRising is supported by v, the youth volunteering organisation. For more information about v, visit www.vinspired.com.

General information

• More information about the UpRising leadership programme is available at www.uprising.youngfoundation.org.

• On 12 November 2008 the House of Commons agreed to establish a new committee, to be chaired by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Michael Martin MP and known as the Speaker's Conference. The Conference has been asked to: "Consider, and make recommendations for rectifying, the disparity between the representation of women, ethnic minorities and disabled people in the House of Commons and their representation in the UK population at large". It may also agree to consider other associated matters. The Speaker's Conference has until the end of the Parliament to conduct its inquiries. More information about the Speaker's Conference is available at: http://www.parliament.uk/business/speakers_conference.cfm.

• The Young Foundation is a centre for social innovation based in London. It combines research, social venture funds and local projects, and hosts the global social innovation exchange (SIX) which links several hundred organisations around the world. Since its foundation in the 1950s it has been a pioneer of social entrepreneurship and innovation and has helped to create over 60 successful organisations.

• v is the youth volunteering organisation launched in May 2006 whose
mission is to inspire a new generation of volunteers in England aged 16‐25. v is supported by the Office of the Third Sector in the Cabinet Office.

• This vinvolved project is part of v's £75 million National Youth Volunteering Programme, which aims to inspire 500,000 young people aged 16‐25 to get positively involved in their communities.

• To find out more about v visit the organisations website www.vinspired.com. For volunteering opportunities in your area visit v's portal for young people www.vinspired.com.

• UpRising is also supported by the Equality and Human Rights Commission, IDeA and the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham. In kind supporters include the Attlee Youth & Community Centre, Clifford Chance, HSBC, Macquarie Group and the Roffey Park Institute.