Young people across Sandwell are being urged to vote for their representatives for the UK Youth Parliament.
The UK Youth Parliament (UKYP) is a programme that provides opportunities for 11 to 18-year-olds to use their elected voice to bring about social change through meaningful representation and campaigning.
Six young people have been shortlisted and the two with the most votes will go forward to represent Sandwell as Members of Youth Parliament (MYPs).
Tamoy Cameron, Briony Jones, Yusuf Halim, Malia Dayus, Kyi-Shay Morton and Ashaas Kaur have all submitted manifestos about what they would like to influence if selected.
Polling stations will be in each town across Sandwell in both secondary schools and youth clubs. To be eligible to vote, young people must live, go to school or work in Sandwell and be between the ages of 11 and 18. The polls are now open and they close on Friday 20 February. The two winning MYPs will be announced on Friday 27 February.
Elected young people will be expected to find out the concerns and needs of other young people in Sandwell and represent these views to decision-makers on a local, regional and national level.
Councillor Harnoor Bhullar, Sandwell Council’s Cabinet Member for Education, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for young people to represent Sandwell at a national level in the UK Youth Parliament. I encourage young people to use the polling stations in our schools and youth clubs to cast their vote, or to vote online. We wish all the candidates the best of luck and look forward to hearing the results on who our MYPs will be.”
Councillor Jalal Uddin, Sandwell Council’s Cabinet Member for Children and Families, added: “Young people are at the heart of our new Sandwell Story. All our candidates have a keen interest in politics and are looking to make a difference for young people and the wider community. This is one of the many ways in which we’re supporting our young people to make it in Sandwell.”
Go to our Just Youth website for more information about the candidates and where and how to vote.