Campaigns

We should be working together to combat racism and religious discrimination, according to the UK Youth Parliament, which has chosen ‘reducing racism and religious discrimination in our communities’ as its national campaign for 2016. Mental health was also chosen as the UK Youth Parliament’s priority campaign for England for a second time.

Working together to combat racism and religious discrimination which secured 155 votes against 117 for ‘a living wage for all’; and mental health became the priority campaign after securing 176 votes against a curriculum to prepare us for life 110.

A total of 279 Members of Youth Parliament aged 11-18 took part in the debates, the subjects for which were voted for by over 968,000 young people across the UK.

The top five topics were:

• Tackling racism and religious discrimination, particularly against people who are Muslim or Jewish. All young people should work together to combat racism and other forms of discrimination, and ensure we know the dangers of such hatred.
• Make public transport cheaper, better and accessible for all.
• Mental health. Services should be improved with young people’s help and mental health education should be compulsory and challenge stereotypes.
• A Curriculum to prepare us for life. Schools should cover topics including finance, sex and relationships and politics in the curriculum.
• Living Wage. Everyone should be able to live comfortably. Everyone aged 16 or over should be paid at least the Living Wage of £7.85 per hour (£9.15 in London). (The ‘Living Wage’ as devised by the Living Wage Foundation.)