Youth Parliament
BEDFORD BOROUGH YOUNG PERSON HEADS TO
NOTTINGHAM TO PREPARE FOR HOUSE OF COMMONS DEBATE
13 year-old Grace Okafor, Member of Youth
Parliament for Bedford Borough, will head to Nottingham this
weekend (27 – 29 July) for the 12th annual sitting of
the UK Youth Parliament, in order to prepare for a debate in the
House of Commons later this year.
Grace is part of the Bedford Borough Youth
Cabinet (YC12) which has 40 youth cabinet members elected from
middle, upper and special schools, colleges and other settings
across the borough to represent children and young people’s views.
Elected in the Spring Term 2012, YC12 will be working together over
next 18 months to improve the lives of children and young people in
Bedford Borough.
Along with 250 other members of the UK Youth
Parliament, Grace will be welcomed by the Speaker of the House of
Commons RT Hon John Bercow MP, as well as political campaigner
Peter Tatchell. The annual event will also feature a keynote speech
from Tim Loughton MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for
Children and Families.
Over three days, the delegates will debate
issues that affect young people, and take part in workshops and
skill sessions. They will also vote to decide which topics should
be incorporated in the UKYP Manifesto. Following the event MYPs
will vote on what issues from the Manifesto will be put to a
national ballot of young people aged 11-18 across the UK to
determine the UK Youth Parliament’s priority campaign for 2013.
The top five topics from this national ballot
will then be debated at the House of Commons sitting in November.
At the Commons sitting, one topic will be chosen to be UKYP’s
priority campaign.
Grace said: “I am really looking forward to
going to the event, meeting up with the Members of Youth Parliament
from across the country and hearing about the main issues for young
people.”
Cllr David Sawyer, Portfolio Holder for
Education at Bedford Borough Council, said: “It is a great
opportunity for Bedford Borough to be represented by Grace at this
national meeting, and for young people to influence how decisions
are made by central government.”
Cllr Sue Oliver, Portfolio Holder for
Children’s Social Care at Bedford Borough Council, said: “Young
people are in an ideal position to discuss the matters that affect
them. Their input is enormously valuable in shaping plans to ensure
individuals get the best start in life and to help people to reach
their full potential.”
For more information about the UK Youth
Parliament visit: http://www.ukyouthparliament.org.uk/
For more information about Bedford Borough
Youth Cabinet visit: www.bedford.gov.uk/youthcabinet
You can follow YC12 on twitter
@bedfordYC12