Published on Friday 28 February 2020
Four local young people are taking their first political steps after being elected to represent Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole in the UK Youth Parliament. The elected young people are aged between 11 and 18 and will be able to express their views on the decisions that are important to them, make positive changes in their communities and make a difference to the young people they represent.
Following several weeks of campaigning, two Members of Youth Parliament (MYP) and two deputies were elected from the 45 contenders. There was a total of 5970 votes cast across 24 schools and colleges, with the four successful candidates announced at a ceremony on Thursday 27 February at Poole Civic Centre Council Chamber.
The new Members of the Youth Parliament (MYPs) are:
• Nathan Collins, aged 17 from Bournemouth School
• Sarah Lockard, aged 17, Bourne Academy
The deputies are:
- Georgia Grogan, aged 16, Bournemouth School for Girls
- Adaya Brandon, aged 14, Bournemouth School for Girls
The new Members of Youth Parliament will represent Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole on a regional and national basis, helping to engage young people in politics, democracy and citizenship. They will be able to attend events during the year, including the annual sitting - a gathering of youth parliament members from around the country and will have the opportunity to debate in the Houses of Commons.
The MYPs will also deliver their own personal manifestos to improve the lives of young people, which will include issues such as mental health and climate change.
Graham Farrant, Chief Executive, BCP Council said:
"It was a privilege to be able to announce the results of these elections and to meet the new Members of Youth Parliament last night. They have a really exciting opportunity to engage on behalf of young people both nationally and here in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole. I wish them every success in their year ahead and look forward to them challenging how and why we provide our services."
Councillor Sandra Moore, Cabinet member for Families and Children said:
"Candidates from across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole all campaigned passionately on issues relevant to the lives of our local young people.
The high quality of the debates clearly inspired thousands of their peers to cast their votes in support of this year’s Youth Parliament elections."
Young people who are interested in becoming involved next year are encouraged to find out more on the UK Parliament website.