Youth Parliament (UKYP)

 

“Who are we?”

UK Youth Parliament (UKYP) is run by young people for young people aged between 11-18 years old. Young people are elected from across the country.

In Suffolk the MYPs and DMYPs (Deputy/Members of Youth Parliament) work to represent the views of young people at a local and national level. Elections run every two years.

“What do we get up to?”

• Run the Make Your Mark youth consultation. The results of Make Your Mark are used to theme local campaigns and nationally results are debated by elected MYPs in the House of Commons each November to decide the top campaign issue.
• Meet new people and make lasting friendships.
• Learn new skills.
• Make a difference. UKYP gives young people a powerful voice that is heard by decision makers in local and national government.

“How do I get involved?”

Elections are held every two years. The next election will run in 2024. From September 2023 we will post further information on this page and start contacting schools and youth groups. You’re school may not be a supporter already, but don’t worry you can still make an application.

Get an idea of what it is like to be an MYP – read the role description below.

To find out more email thesource@suffolk.gov.uk. 

Do you want to raise ideas and issues with Suffolk Youth Parliament? Read about Suffolk Youth Forum.

What are we working on 2024-2026

A big welcome and congratulations to our new members of Youth Parliament!

Camille Wright – MYP for Suffolk Coastal and Waveney

Camille’s focuses are: LGBTQ+, Mental Health and Special Educational Needs.

Hi, My name is Camillé (She/Her/He/Him) and I’m 16-years-old. I’m the MYP of Suffolk Coastal and Waveney. My campaigns are LGBTQ+ Rights, Special Educational Needs, and Mental Health. This is due to my personal experience during highschool. The abuse I received due to being queer and having additional needs lead to the downfall of my mental health, so I want to do something to improve the living quality for all individuals who identify as queer, mentally ill, or with additional needs. 

Mohamad Ismail – MYP for Forest Health and St Edmundsbury

Mohamad’s focuses are: Decreasing Domestic Abuse of Young people, more ‘Everyday’ Information in our Curriculum, Improving Mental Health in Educational Settings.

Hello, my name is Mohamad. MYP representing St Edmundsbury and Forest Heath. I have taken this role to make sure young people are heard unlike my voice when I was younger. I am standing for and hoping to change attitudes towards domestic abuse, mental health in educational settings and a part of the educational curriculum (PSHE).

“Being mentally strong doesn’t mean you don’t experience emotions; it means you don’t let your emotions control you.”

Henry Clark – MYP for Ipswich and Babergh

Henry’s focuses are: Ending Youth Violence, Tackling the Cost of Living Crisis, Helping to Improve School Attendance.

Hi my name is Henry Clark and I am the Member of Youth Parliament for Ipswich and Babergh. My three points that I believe are particularly relevant in today’s environment is cost of living, youth violence and attendance in schools. I believe these are having detrimental impacts among the youth limiting the freedom and opportunities we are all entitled to. I am passionate about doing everything I can to try and improve the youth voice in Suffolk and serve everyone to my absolute fullest!

Hermione Cartwright – MYP for Mid Suffolk

Hermione’s focuses are: Better Support when supporting or reporting Mental Health, Drugs and Alcohol Awareness, Bringing the Community Together.

Hi, my name is Hermione Cartwright (She/her). I am 16 years old and over the next two years I would like to prioritise making the life of us youths better.

I feel there needs to be change, not only the attitudes of society but also the way our communities have evolved. Sometimes people just need a push into the right direction or a strong helping hand, I want to be able to get feedback from you and make good things happen.  Lets work together and get YOUR voices heard 🙂

How can UK Youth Parliament support citizenship requirements?

The UK Youth Parliament is an excellent opportunity to meet and explore the requirements of Citizenship education for key stages 3 and 4 building on an awareness of democracy, government and how laws are made and upheld.

Resources list (see below):

• Video ‘Why Vote’: www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5PqRRvl30w&feature=youtu.be
• Parliament Resources: https://learning.parliament.uk/en/resources/ 
• Parliament Outreach: https://learning.parliament.uk/en/outreach/schools-and-colleges/
• Young Citizen: www.youngcitizens.org 
• Young Citizen resources: Teaching Resources – Young Citizens

Make Your Mark 2024 Voting Results

To view the latest results of the 2024 Make Your Mark – the UK-wide vote for 11-18 year olds on the issues that matter to them, held annually by British Youth Council, go to our Make Your Mark page