North Somerset Youth Parliament Debates Political Education and Youth Wellbeing (By Isabella,14)
By Isabella, 14, Good News Room at PCSA
Last month North Somerset Youth Parliament met at Weston-super-Mare Town Hall for its penultimate in-person meeting of the school year.
Several important topics were discussed during the meeting.
One of these topics was political education, following the announcement of the new voting age in July 2025.
To find out what young people need in order to feel confident about voting, members held a debate featuring a range of questions.
One of the key questions discussed was:
"What do young people need to feel most confident voting for the first time?"
Everyone got involved, with the general consensus being that young people would like structured lessons on political education.
However, it was suggested that these sessions could take place during tutor time rather than in lessons.
It was also raised that there should be specialist teachers for the subject, allowing students to get the most from the experience.
Another question discussed was:
"How can young people identify reliable political information and challenge misinformation, especially on social media?"
Councillor Luke Smith reminded everyone about checking the reliability and purpose of posts, whether through cross-referencing information or only sharing information that can be defended.
Other members of the group also pointed out that sources can sometimes be lost in translation, and suggested that social media posts should include clear sources wherever possible.
After the debate, discussion moved on to the Wellbeing Conference that North Somerset is looking to hold.
Formerly known as the Youth Safety and Wellbeing Summit, the event aims to involve youth parliaments from across the South West and be held at the Winter Gardens.
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The conference will focus on what young people should expect from people in positions of responsibility, whether they are shop owners, school governors or community leaders.
North Somerset Council has agreed to support the event, helping to ensure it can go ahead. Media coverage is also planned to help raise awareness and promote the event.
Ultimately, the aim is to help set the standard for how young people should be treated in the future.
When asked how the Youth Charter will positively impact young people in the area, Oliver Masley, Co-Leader of North Somerset Youth Parliament and MYP, said:
"With local businesses, charities, schools and other organisations signing up for the charter, young people will be given the opportunity to feel respected, safe, supported and heard. Not only will it be a huge change in the way young people feel, but adults will also be held accountable to the charter, being encouraged to sign up and reaffirm their commitment at our event."
The meeting then moved on to an activity designed to get everyone up and moving. The activity focused on compiling ideas about what young people would like to see included in the Youth Charter for the Youth Safety and Wellbeing Summit.
A wide range of suggestions were made, from effective protection against abuse to the right to expression and community. Other ideas included cheaper travel and more free school meals.
These were just some of the many suggestions put forward.
After the activity, a few final announcements were shared before the meeting concluded.
One was a Mental Health Competition organised by the Mental Health Subgroup within Youth Parliament.
The competition, which closed on 8 June, invited young people to create a video of no more than two minutes about mental health. Entries had to be carefully produced to avoid potentially triggering content. The winning prize was a £100 voucher.
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The other announcement was about Pride in Place, a project aiming to improve the Bournville Estate.
The initiative has both an adult board and a young people's board, chaired by Paige from the Youth Parliament, with everyone working towards the same goal. To support improvements in the area, the project will receive government funding.
The meeting then came to an end, but not before everyone was reminded of the date of the final in-person meeting of the school year: 15 July.
Until next time!
