We want you to Make Your Mark

September 20, 2016 by Southend Borough Council

We want you to Make Your Mark

Wednesday 21st September 2016

The largest consultation of young people in the UK has begun and Southend-On-Sea’s Local Member of Youth Parliament Isreal Genius is urging young Southend residents aged 11 and over to take part.

The ballot ending on October 5th is asking young people across the country what issues matter to them most. Ten topics will be available to choose from on the initial Make Your Mark ballot paper with the 5 most popular topics being discussed later in the year.

The results will be debated by the UK Youth Parliament in the House of Commons on 11th November 2016, chaired by the Speaker of the House of Commons Rt. Hon. John Bercow MP and broadcast live on BBC Parliament. MYP Isreal Genius will be in attendance making one of the opening speeches 'A Better, Kinder Democracy' on the day.

Voting takes place online at www.youthparliament.org.uk/makeyourmark and all Southend-on-Sea schools have received information packs including FAQ’s sheets, posters, tally’s and Ballots so students can vote as a class or individually.

MYP Isreal Genius, who will be running the Make Your Mark campaign in Southend as well as member of the Youth Council, will be giving talks on the importance of participating during school assemblies and freshers’ fair beginning 3rd October.

“The make your mark campaign is the most important asset the Youth Parliament has. It provides both our priorities and the leverage we will use to achieve our aims.

“Every year, the amount of young people who take part in this initiative increases. I want Southend to be no exception and encourage everyone aged 11 or over to participate.”

Executive Councillor for Children and Learning, Cllr James Courtenay said: “The Make Your Mark campaign is very important and we urge our young residents to take part in this. This is the largest youth consultation of its kind in the UK, with over 970,000 young people taking part last year.

“To provide a platform on which to voice their opinions about what matters to them and to shape the future for all young people across the country, not just Southend-on-Sea is crucial and also vital to enable the Youth Council to achieve its aims.”