Youngsters get involved in democracy!
Two 'Youth Question Time' events were held in local schools in
the Vale of Glamorgan during Local Democracy Week (October 15 – 19)
to help encourage young people to get involved in democracy and
realise that their vote can make a difference.
Llantwit Major Comprehensive hosted the first event, at which
the pupils were joined by students from Cowbridge Comprehensive.
The second event at Ysgol Bro Morgannwg was also attended by
youngsters from Barry Comprehensive, Bryn Hafren and Barry
College.
More than 160 students, aged from 11 to 19, attended the events
to discuss issues that matter to them before posing key questions
to a 'Youth Question Time' panel. The panel was made up of Vale
councillors, town and community councillors, local police
inspectors, youth development officers, representatives from the
Vale Council's leisure and visible services departments and local
business representatives.
The young people asked questions that covered issues as diverse
as youth facilities, public transport, the environment, crime and
personal safety and really challenged the stereotypical way in
which young people are often viewed.
As part of the day, the young people also took part in an
interactive electronic voting system called 'educlick', enabling
them to vote on what they thought of the day, the facilitators and
even the panel members!
The Vale Council's youth participation officer Ve Van de Voorde
said: "The Local Democracy Week events went extremely well. I would
like to thank the panel members, comperes and facilitators who
volunteered to help out. The young people asked really good
questions and contributed some really valid discussion points about
issues close to their hearts to the debates. We are definitely
hoping to organise further Youth Question Time events in the
future."
Captions:
Top: Young people discussed issues close to
their hearts at the Local Democracy Week events.
Right: Pupils used an interactive voting system
called 'educlick' to express their views.