What is Youth Parliament All About?
United Kingdom Youth Parliament is made up of young people across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. UKYP aims to give the young people of the UK a voice, which will be heard and listened to by local and national government, providers of services for young people and other agencies who have an interest in the views and needs of young people.
The UKYP has a rolling programme. They meet on an annual basis, and give the young people of the UK a chance to express their views and concerns at the highest levels.
Bury currently has 1 Member of Youth Parliamnet (MYP) and 2 Deputy Members of Youth Parliament (DMYPs). These young people were elected in March when 9014 young people who either live or are educated in Bury voted. The elected young people work closely with other young people in Bury through our Youth Cabinet, Youth Action groups and School Councils. The views of young people in Bury then contribute to the regional and national agenda.
Members of Youth Parlaiment (MYPs) go all over the country meeting other young people and sharing ideas and much more. Regional meetings for MYPs and deputies are on Sundays every 6 to 8 weeks and the young people are taken and supported by a youth worker. All the opportunities that are open to MYPs and deputies are supported by youth workers and will never cost you anything as we pay for all your expenses. 2008’s Member of Youth Parliament went to Downing Street to Meet the Prime Minister and this year and last year’s MYP were able to take part in a debate in the House of Commons – something which no one other than adult MPs had done before! MYPs will be given this opportunity every year for the life of the current government.
Elections for UKYP in Bury happen in March and you need to attend an information day in January if you want to be a candidate in the election. Anyone aged 11-18 who lives or goes to school or college in Bury can stand as a candidate in the election.
What is UKYP? - View UKYP Video.
United Kingdom Youth Parliament 2010
Young people in Bury recently elected their Member of United Kingdom Youth Parliament (UKYP) with a record number of votes cast.
This year saw 11 candidates campaign to be Bury’s next MYP or deputy MYP. On Thursday 4th March record numbers of young people voted across Bury. 9014 young people cast their vote which is 46.42% of young people in Bury aged 11-18. This figure is considerably higher than the 38.22% of adults who voted in Bury’s last local election. It will be interesting to see if Bury’s adult voting population can redress the balance in the forthcoming May elections.
Youth workers from Bury Youth Service have worked tirelessly over the last few weeks to ensure that polling stations could be open in every high school and college in the borough. Schools also deserve praise for their excellent organisation of pupils to ensure that every young person had the opportunity to get to a polling station and vote. The fantastic turnout was largely down to the excellent support of the council’s Electoral Services department which worked along side Connexions and Bury Youth Service to train presiding officers, provide polling stations and assist with the count. This is part of Electoral Services’ firm commitment to encouraging all residents in Bury to take up their vote entitlement and they are hopeful that this great turn out of young people will encourage adults to take up their vote in the forth coming local and general elections.
1821 young people cast their vote to elect Jamie Walker, 15 of Radcliffe Riverside High School as Bury’s Member of Youth Parliament. Over 2000 others split their votes between Joshua Achumba, 12 of Parrenthorn High School and Tom Sharman, 13 of Tottington High School who were therefore elected as Deputy Members of Youth Parliament. These young people will debate with young people locally in Bury, at North West Regional meetings and nationally at the UKYP Annual Sitting. They will meet with politicians and decision makers to make positive changes for young people in Bury and across the country.
United Kingdom Youth Parliament 2009
On the 5th March 2009 7869 votes were cast which is 40.39% of young people in our Borough. Umar Mukhtar was elected as MYP.The two deputies were Andrew Gregoriou and Ruth Hatton
United Kingdom Youth Parliament 2008
Bury previously had one Member of Youth Parliamnet (MYP), Catherine Rawsthorne, and two Deputy Members of Youth Parliament (DMYPs), Max Sampson and Umar Mukhtar. These young people were elected in March 2008 when almost 7000 young people who either live or are educated in Bury voted.