UK Youth Parliament
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| UK Youth Parliament (UKYP) | |
|---|---|
| Established: | 1999 |
| Chief Executive: | Andy Hamflett |
| Chair of Trustees: | Chris Bennetts |
| Company Secretary: | Peter F. Clarke |
| Address: | UK Youth Parliament |
| Telephone: | 020 7843 6310 |
| Fax: | 020 7843 6038 |
| Website: | http://www.ukyouthparliament.org.uk |
The UK Youth Parliament (UKYP) is a national organisation that campaigns on issues that affect young people in the United Kingdom, and works to ensure that young people's opinions are heard locally, regionally and nationally. Every year young people from across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland elect their local Member(s) of Youth Parliament (MYPs).
There are over 500 MYPs and deputies, and turnout in the 2006 elections was over 400,000. UKYP receives funding from the British Government's Department for Children, Schools and Families, and was recently endorsed by Gordon Brown.
Contents |
[edit] Introduction
The UKYP produces national and regional manifestos in which MYPs aim to represent the views of their constituents to both central government and local decision-makers. This is produced and ratified at an Annual Sitting, which is also when national campaigns on issues that affect young people are planned.
The 7th Annual Sitting was held at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, from Friday 20th July to Monday 23rd July 2007. Last year's national campaigns were improving Sex and Relationships Education, Votes at 16 and cheaper, more accessible transport for young people. The 8th Annual Sitting will take place at the University of Exeter from Saturday 19th July to Tuesday 22nd July 2008.
[edit] Campaigns
The UK Youth Parliament holds an annual vote to determine three issues to campaign on at a national level. In May 2008, this vote was held directly after a debate between 300 MYPs in the House of Lords[1]. The event was chaired by the Lord Speaker Baroness Hayman and was broadcast on BBC Parliament. UKYP's three national campaigns for 2008/09 were voted as:
- Recycling & the Environment (490 votes)
- National public transport concession card for under 18s (425 votes)
- University tuition fees (252 votes)
[edit] Governance
UKYP is a registered charity (No. 1084716), and an Associated Company Limited by Guarantee (No. 4147120) called Democracy for Young People Ltd. (t/a United Kingdom Youth Parliament).
It is central to UKYP's ethic that it is run by young people, hence it is governed by the 21 members of the Board of Trustees, who are drawn from and represent the various stakeholder groups of UKYP. Over half of the positions on the Board are reserved for young people aged 18-25 who are elected regionally by MYPs every two years. Each of these 12 Trustees represent young people in UKYP from their region — the nine English regions, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
The Board of Trustees is responsible to the Membership for ensuring that UKYP fulfils its objectives as defined in the charity's Memorandum and business plan, and have specific responsibilities which include the management of UKYP staff and finances and strategic planning. Chris Bennetts is the current Chair of the Board, with Sam Ellis and Charles Hendry MP serving as the two Vice-Chairs. The Board of Trustees is also the Company's Directorship.
Notable members of the Board of Trustees include Charles Hendry MP (representing the Conservatives), Natascha Engel MP (Labour) and Jenny Willott MP (Liberal Democrats).
[edit] Views of UKYP
UKYP has a working document manifesto which details its position on any significant issues in which young people are affected. This document is being continually updated through UKYP's Private Members Bill system which allows MYPs to propose anything that should be added to, amended or removed from the document.
The current system is based closely on the three reading system used by the UK Westminster Parliament, although some members of UKYP's Procedures Group have expressed an interest in simplifying the system to make it more accessible.
[edit] Criticism
UKYP has been described by Daily Mail columnist Tom Utley as "sublimely fatuous"[2] and may have issues of tokenism.[3] It is also claimed that young people from marginalised groups are under-represented.[4] A major criticism from within the organisation itself is that UKYP's time and resources are monopolised by a select few; essentially the emergence of its own "bureaucrats". An report by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister was also critical of UKYP, in particular it's relationship with the devolved nations. [5]
[edit] References
- ^ UK Youth Parliament at Westminster - Parliament.uk, 2nd May 2008
- ^ Daily Mail article: 6th December 2007
- ^ Youth Participation in the UK: Bureaucratic Disaster or Triumph of Child Rights?
- ^ Involving young people in decision making and local democracy
- ^ ODPM review of UKYP
