Pupils vote in National Youth Parliament Elections

8 March 2024

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This week pupils participated in the largest ballot for young people, the Youth Parliament Ballot.

The UK Youth Parliament provides opportunities for 11-18 year olds to use their elected voice to bring about social change through meaningful representation and campaigning.

During Learning for Life lessons, pupils were given a presentation on the work on the Youth Parliament and learned why their vote mattered. Each pupil had one vote to select the topic they are most passionate about and want more national action on. As in adult elections, they had to put a large X in one box only. Voting slips with more than one X were not counted. We even had a real ballot box loaned from South Ribble Borough Council!

613 votes were cast (4 votes blank \ 8 votes void) and the results are as follows

173 votes  Jobs, the economy and benefits
107 votes  Culture, media and sport
94 votes   Heath and wellbeing
73 votes    Crime and safety
37 votes   Climate change and the environment
34 votes   Transport
26 votes   Rights, equalities and democracy
24 votes   Youth work and young people's services
15 votes   Education and Learning
13 votes   International relations

These figures will now be submitted and added to the national totals. The three topics with the most votes nationally will become the newly elected Members of Youth Parliament's campaign theme for their two year term.