This afternoon I was pleased to meet with the British Youth Council and Sutton Council to discuss the work they are doing to establish a Sutton Youth Parliament.
As someone who was involved in the Sutton Youth Parliament during my teenage years, I’m keen to see a Youth Parliament re-established in the Borough after several years of inactivity. Many local young residents also share this idea and are keen to represent their views locally and in the House of Commons on the issues that matter most to them.
Following a difficult 15-months due to the Coronavirus pandemic, there are several unique issues facing young people today that need addressing. For many, the impact of a disrupted school routine, not being able to see friends and family, not being able to attend extra-curricular activities, and the lack of job opportunities has resulted in young people needing a local voice more than ever before.
I am pleased to hear Sutton Council reaffirm their commitment to addressing these issues and building on the opportunities already available to young people in the Borough. The Council and Sutton Local Safeguarding Children Partnership (LSCP) will be undertaking a review over the summer into the key priorities and opportunities for young people in Sutton and will be reporting back in September their recommendations for future youth programmes. This will include engaging with the British Youth Council to see how both organisations can work together to get a local Youth Parliament off the ground.
I look forward to seeing the Council’s report after the summer, as well as continuing to offer my support to see the establishment of a local Youth Parliament once again.
If you are a young person and are interested in getting involved, please do get in touch.