Make your mark

Make Your Mark – and vote on the issues important to you

YOUNG people across Carmarthenshire are being urged to make their mark by voting on issues which are important to them.

The county council’s youth participation team is encouraging those aged between 11 and 18 to take part in the largest youth consultation across the UK.

Last year over 978,216 young people took part in the national ballot that decided on which issues were debated by the UK Youth Parliament (UKYP) at the sitting in the House of Commons.

This year, the Make Your Mark campaign aims to get over 5,000 young people in Carmarthenshire to take part.

They are being asked to choose a topic which will be debated by the UKYP, suggestions are: the school curriculum; voting at 16; protecting LGBT; support for young carers; transport; first aid for all young people; mental health; making the invisible visible; protecting school budgets; and the creation of work experience hubs.

Alisha Gibbons from Tycroes has been elected to represent Carmarthenshire and Wales as the Youth Parliament member for 2017/18.

Carmarthenshire youth councillors attended the official launch of the 2017 Make Your Mark ballot in Cardiff last weekend.

The ballot will run until Friday October 6 and voting can be done online or via a paper ballot which is available from Carmarthenshire Youth Council.

Ballot papers will also be sent to all secondary school councils and youth projects in to encourage every young person within the county to get involved and help spread the word, so that Wales has a voice on a UK level.

Carmarthenshire’s executive board member for youth services Cllr Glynog Davies said: “I would encourage all young people to make their voices heard regarding issues concerning them.

“The UK Youth Parliament has the power to influence government and put forward their views on subjects which matter to them.

“On a local level, Carmarthenshire Youth Council is very active in championing causes their members care about, I would encourage more young people to get involved and help make a difference.”

Results of the Make Your Mark ballot will be announced on October 18 and this year, members of the UKYP will come together in the House of Commons on Friday November 17 to debate and decide on the most important issue to campaign on for 2018.

Alisha, aged 16, will be amongst 24 members representing Wales in the event.

·        To vote online, or for more information visit www.youthsirgar.org.uk