Watching with regularity the emerging scandals around elected members of parliament and considering the role and responsibilities, influence and important function in our society of politics, I am reminded of how political education in youth work can be an important process. Whilst there is a level of apathy often around the topic of politics, engaging in a developed understanding of how young people’s issues are responded to in a social and political sense can be developmentally valuable and have made me think about how young people access and interface with adults and the levels of trust and respect they have of their local MP and what they are interested in.
The important tenets of enabling effective relationships that youth workers are familiar with reside in principles around trust and respect. As young people gain and learn about their world, it is a valuable consideration for any youth worker that the important dialogue around social and political education to inform and develop discussions. This arena is in part fuelled by observations of the world around young people and finding out the extent that young people trust and respect MP’s is an interesting source of discussion.
It may be valuable to discuss as a team and with young people how they perceive Trust and Respect in both their social environment and what they have seen of the political figures in the media and their local MP. Political education with young people support a process of understanding political systems, institutions and how policy functions. This works to equip young people with the skills and knowledge to contribute with creativity and a much more inclusive response in democratic society and in decision making. The promotion of critical thinking and social responsibility are central to this work with young people.
As an insight for youth workers, young people’s views on current topics around MP second job earnings, the credibility that young people have of particular figures in politics to ascertain the connection and distance young people have with those that act on behalf of their constituency. An important factor is how young people feel and respond is an avenue of interest if considering political education with young people.
Using topics determined by young people as important; establishing a written communication with MP’s to appraise their contribution/avoidance/active response/dismissal (delete as appropriate). It is arguably a distant relationship that some MP’s have with the truth or genuine response and to encourage young people to critically consider and engage in how improved solutions and responses could be developed on important community issues.
Political education in youth work can be developed in a range of ways and researching to establish local and central Government structures can be an interesting experiential learning experience. Activities such as holding mock elections, following the electoral process and finding out about civic rights and those specific to young people’s rights can be a way of engaging young people in this type of activity. Taking topics and developing analytical skills, creating campaigns and evaluating political information and fact checking against lived experiences are valuable sources of information for MP’s that young people could take action in providing and presenting direct to their MP to encourage a shared dialogue regarding young people’s needs and educating MP’s on how to serve young people as part of their community and constituency. Specific issues such as violence against women and girls (VAWG) and ascertaining local MP's responses and views as either genuine or taking the party line can encourage a dialogue, connection or critical appraisal for young people and therefore promotes a deeper critical view and informed decisions and actions.
Young people represent the future of society and the importance of political education in youth work cannot be understated, as the shaping of the political landscape and for communities wellbeing will be enhanced if young people have the agency to consider the world around them. Once again, youth work and informal education are front runners in enabling young people through trust and respect and a genuine response to what young people determine as important. Perhaps our MP’s and elected members could learn a great deal from a more appropriate approach and I would advocate for regular opportunities to invite MP’s to meet with young people as VIP’s as oppose to the other way around so that MP’s can learn about trust and respect from young people directly.
I would be interested in your views on the scandals in politics and the impact for young people in communities, so post your views, activities and project that work with politics in your youth work.
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