Young people from Somerset elected to ensure the voices of their peers are heard across the County have unveiled their Manifesto this week.
The three recently elected Somerset Members of Youth Parliament (MYPs), supported by Somerset County Council, are proud to announce the release of the booklet which outlines their key campaigns.
These are:
- Save Our Environment created by Charlotte Ward. Charlotte believes we need to recycle more and is concerned about wildlife and their natural habitats
- Youth Representation, by Amelia Saleh who thinks that young people should have more of a voice and they are often misunderstood and misrepresented. Amelia wants to encourage equality and respect, as well as ways to acknowledge young people’s positive contributions
- Youth Empowerment by Hanna Wittek. Hanna believes that young people are often vulnerable and can be victims of crime and violence. She is excited about her campaign which will focus on young people’s confidence and resilience.
Frances Nicholson, Lead Member for Children’s Services at Somerset County Council, said: “Youth Parliament is at the forefront of representing universal Youth Voice and Participation across the county.”
“Somerset County Council is proud to have given a voice to young people through the UK Youth Parliament. The Council and its partners will listen to them and will feed back to them on the effect they are having.”
The MYPs will soon be reaching out to decision makers and key community representatives to promote their campaigns and raise concerns about issues important to young people both locally and nationally.
Speaking about the Manifesto, Charlotte said: “Now our campaigns are ready to share and promote I can see that they really do reflect young people’s priorities. I’m looking forward to making a difference for young people in Somerset over the next 2 years.”
Young people from across Somerset – including MYPs, recently helped to launch Somerset’s Plan for Children, Young People and Families 2019-2022 which can be accessed here.
The plan touches on some of the concerns outlined in The Manifesto along with other key priorities identified by young people as part of a blueprint for how Somerset County Council and its partners can support them.
The Manifesto will be distributed as widely as possible across Somerset over the next weeks. Anyone who wants to know more about the Youth Parliament work locally or nationally can contact Kate Darlington, Participation Officer at the Somerset County Council via kdarlington@somerset.gov.uk
