Get involved and make a difference

We are three young people, Alice, Rosanna and Sarah who have been asked to describe our views and experiences in getting involved and making a difference.

I am Alice, that’s me on the left in the photo below. I have been a member of the United Kingdom Youth Parliament. The UKYP is an elected group of young people whose aim is to influence decision -making and to ensure that the opinions of the young people we represent are heard.

I am Rosanna, that’s me in the middle of the photograph below. I am a young advocate. This is a paid role in which I take a leading role in supporting a group of young people to influence change.

I am Sara, that’s me on the end of the photograph below. I helped to run an agenda day in South Cambridgeshire last September and one on Drugs and Alcohol in October. I have since been involved in the young people’s film group and have been along to other events. Alice Rosanna and Sarah

We take the view that all young people should be given opportunities to assert their right to have a say in decisions that affect them.

We are concerned with the human rights of all children and young people. We believe that we are knowledgeable about our own lives and aretherefore well placed to contribute to debates about us. We also believe that it is for us to determine both what we want to say and how we want to say it – it is not a question of training us to play by the adult rules. We see the role of adults as supporting us to develop our capacity to be participants in political processes.

These are some examples of the kinds of things that we are involved in: