Young Wrexham

Youth Politics

Youth politics is the process and method of involving young people in making decisions that affect them as individuals, groups or in the wider context of issues that affect their country or nation.

Youth politics can involve pupil participation in schools, school councils, youth groups, youth forums or your personal contribution to politics as a young person.

Your political concerns may be as local as trying to get new equipment in your school, or as general as campaigning for animal or human rights.

How to get involved

• Depending upon what you feel passionate about and the issues you think are important, there are a number of ways you can become actively involved in politics as a young person
• Anyone can attend demonstrations and protests, these are often organised by political parties or campaign groups fighting for a change in policy or society
• Join a youth branch of a political party of campaigns group - almost all parties have a youth branch if you are under 18 years old. If you are 18 or over, you can join the main political party
• Try writing to your local MP, a member of the cabinet or the Prime Minister to express your views or protest
• You can also set-up a political group in your school or get involved with pupil participation within your school or join your school council
• See the Activism & Campaigning section in Law and Rights [link to section 7c in Law and Rights] for more information about what you can do

Youth politics in Wales

You can get involved in debating which is an important part of politics and involves issues directly related to current affairs.

• CEWC-Cymru is a debating competition in which two pupils from a comprehensive school make up a team and debate against other schools over an issue or motion. Ask your school, especially the English or Politics department, for information
• Mock Welsh Assembly is a competition in which teams of pupils from various comprehensive schools act as a committee of the Welsh Government and debate against other schools. Ask your school for information
• Model UN is a competition in which young people are given a real role, such as Secretary General of the UN, or a country to represent, and are able to take part in a model UN debate

Funky Dragon

Funky Dragon is the 'Children and Young People's Assembly for Wales'.

• It aims to give Under 25 year olds the opportunity to get their voices heard on issues which affect them, particularly by the Welsh Government
• Funky Dragon has three youth members from each of 22 areas in Wales
• You can get involved through your local youth council or school council