BY SARAH TROTT

On October 13, 25 young people from across Dorset gathered at Dorchester Youth Centre hoping to find out more about the exciting opportunity of standing as a candidate in the UK Youth Parliament Elections.

The UK Youth Parliament currently has more than 600 elected members across the UK who use their passion in creative ways to bring about change for their peers.

In Dorset, the annual Youth Parliament election process starts in October and ends in February, with polling week. Every student in Dorset will then have the opportunity to cast two votes for their preferred candidates.

Youth Parliament hopeful Sophie Trott, 14, said: “It was really interesting to find out more about the work of the UK Youth parliament and how I can get involved. After meeting everyone on the day I am really inspired to start planning my campaign.”

In Dorset we have two members of Youth Parliament and two deputy members of Youth Parliament who all have a manifesto to fulfill, each having a manifesto which they will work on during their term of office and will campaign on across Dorset in schools at youth events and at youth groups.

Potential candidate Grace Hill, a student at Ferndown Upper school, said: “I have been a member of Dorset Youth Council for the last three years, working with local decision makers, county councillors, commissioners and the current Dorset MYPs gave me the inspiration to attend the Information Day.

I feel that the UK Youth Parliament is a great opportunity for young people to engage in politics, with a small ‘p.’ It is important that everyone has a say in the place they live in because, without having a voice, nothing will ever change.