Elected Somerset Member of Youth Parliament (MYP), Eva, has been incredibly busy over the past few months campaigning against the potential axing of UK Youth Parliament and working on her own campaign ‘Better Sport and Activities Opportunities in Schools and Colleges’. In this article, Eva gives us an update.
This month I’ve been pushing ahead with my campaign locally and along with other elected MYPs up and down the UK, I’ve been supporting the UK campaign to save UK Youth Parliament from the Government’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport proposal to end the programme.
Either way, whatever the decision, I’m forging ahead with my work and won’t let their decision stop me from representing the Youth of Somerset!
As part of my campaign, I have written to local MP’s and had very positive and helpful feedback and advice from MP Tessa Munt and MP Adam Dance’s Office – Senior Communications Advisory Livvy Grant. This has helped me refine my survey, which I’ll be sending out to schools and colleges this term. The survey responses will give me insight into young people’s thoughts and experiences around sport and activity choices.
Tessa said “I particularly like that your project is not just about competitive sport. A ‘Try Something New Day’ could be an effective way to reach students who may not usually put themselves forward for PE, teams or clubs.”
All this will provide some leverage to appeal to schools and colleges to consider improving confidence and engagement of sports and physical activities by offering a menu of alternative, easy activities to introduce which won’t put additional pressure on teachers. I aim to trial and demonstrate alternative options for my main campaign action next year which is a ‘Try Something New Day’ for young people. This will be inclusive, fun and a chance for young people to get together without pressure, or expectation and feel inspired. This will take a lot of planning and I’ll need to secure some funding and support, so I’ve already started taking steps towards achieving my goal before the end of this year
I volunteer for the Millfield Leo’s Club and through that I’ve applied and registered the competition to become a Lions Young Ambassador. The application offers bursaries to successful candidates which would be so helpful to fund the ‘Try Something New Day’. I’d be able to buy some sports/ activity equipment, snacks and refreshments and even some form of recognition for taking part in the day for all of the young people who come along. If I’m not successful, I’ll look at alternative funding routes which I already have started looking into just in case.
Tessa finally said “You have clearly chosen a campaign with real purpose, and I hope you will keep going with it”, don’t worry Tessa I will most definitely keep going with it through the highs and the lows till the end of my term of office.
Eva
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