Question: As Elected Members, what do you think is the best way to get young people involved in politics? Also - what do you think is the best way to get young people to join political parties??
Its going to be a challenge as politicians have had a very bad press recently – much of it their own fault. We need to return to communicating what politics is about, what we believe in, what inspires us and how we can make improvements- too often politics appears to be a bunch of people arguing with each other.I’m always keen to go into schools to talk to pupils about my job and to take school parties round parliament so that young people can see it for themselves. Interstingly a lot of young people have joined the Labour Party since the general election but I wouldn’t advocate losing elections as a way of recuiting young people!
Politics seems to have become unfashionable for young people. It was not like that when I was young. That’s a pity, because the decisions that politicians take, and the things they do, affect everyone in the country, young and old. So it’s important to get young people to realise this, get them to take a greater interest in politics, and so influence the politicians in their decisions. When I was a teacher in Germany I noticed that the secondary schools had a compulsory two periods a week of what they called ‘Landeskunde’. You learned about the political parties, amongst other things. It was thought extremely important to get everyone informed about politics. Otherwise there could be the great danger that if politics was left to a tiny minority, as happened in the 1920s and 1930s, it could open the door to extremists, which is how Adolf Hitler came to power. I don’t think that could easily happen here- or again in Germany, but it’s still important that as many people as possible get involved in politics.
I think that more young people would get involved if they thought they were being listened to and could make a difference. I think the Scottish Youth Parliament helps but on a more political note, I think the reform of the voting system would also help. Public opinion comes in many colours and all shades deserve a voice and a place in the Council and the Government.
Its going to be a challenge as politicians have had a very bad press recently – much of it their own fault. We need to return to communicating what politics is about, what we believe in, what inspires us and how we can make improvements- too often politics appears to be a bunch of people arguing with each other.I’m always keen to go into schools to talk to pupils about my job and to take school parties round parliament so that young people can see it for themselves. Interstingly a lot of young people have joined the Labour Party since the general election but I wouldn’t advocate losing elections as a way of recuiting young people!
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Politics seems to have become unfashionable for young people. It was not like that when I was young. That’s a pity, because the decisions that politicians take, and the things they do, affect everyone in the country, young and old. So it’s important to get young people to realise this, get them to take a greater interest in politics, and so influence the politicians in their decisions. When I was a teacher in Germany I noticed that the secondary schools had a compulsory two periods a week of what they called ‘Landeskunde’. You learned about the political parties, amongst other things. It was thought extremely important to get everyone informed about politics. Otherwise there could be the great danger that if politics was left to a tiny minority, as happened in the 1920s and 1930s, it could open the door to extremists, which is how Adolf Hitler came to power. I don’t think that could easily happen here- or again in Germany, but it’s still important that as many people as possible get involved in politics.
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I think that more young people would get involved if they thought they were being listened to and could make a difference. I think the Scottish Youth Parliament helps but on a more political note, I think the reform of the voting system would also help. Public opinion comes in many colours and all shades deserve a voice and a place in the Council and the Government.
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