How it works
Every two years young people aged 11-18 vote for their four Members of Youth Parliament (MYPs) to represent them at local, regional and national level.
Following elections at the start of 2018, the current MYPs for Leeds are: Samuel Cliff, Sylvia Cullen, Arqam Al-Hadeed and Harry Small,
Local and national campaigns
In 2017, over 17,000 young people in Leeds (25% of the total youth population voted in the Make Your Mark ballot. When the votes were counted, 'Making public transport cheaper, better and more accessible for all" came out as the top issue and the Leeds Youth Council are working on this subject as their 2018 campaign. They have already met with key transport providers and have had the local Children and Young People's plan to include "transport" as a key priority for young people in the city.
Across the UK just under one million young people took part in the Make Your Mark ballot and the top five issues from the public vote were debated in the House of Commons by MYPs from around the country. The current national campaign is Votes @ 16, giving 16 and 17 year olds the right to vote in local and national elections as well as in referendums. Leeds' Members of Youth Parliament made a deputation to a full council meeting in July 2017 where they won the formal support of Leeds City Council. The Leader of the Council, Judith Blake has since written a letter to the government to pledge Leeds' support for Votes at 16.
The England-only campaign for 2017 is "A curriculum to prepare us for life" - schools should do more to cover topics including finance, sex and relationships and politics and voting. Members of Youth Parliament are busy planning their campaign and are speaking to young people in Leeds about their experiences currently in their own schools.
You can follow the progress of all of these campaigns using social media - find us @Leeds Youth Voice on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
How to become an MYP for Leeds
The UKYP Elections happen every two years in Leeds with the next elections due to take place in early 2020. To ensure that you are always up-to-date with Youth Voice opportunities in Leeds and are amongtst the first to hear about the next UKYP elections we reccomend that you join the Leeds Youth Council
Previous Campaigns
2011-12 Cheaper public transport
2012-13 Cheaper public transport
2013-14 A Curriculum for Life / Votes @ 16
View the short film documenting their journey here
2014-15 Better mental health services for young people
View the short film documenting their 2015 journey here
2015-16 Tackling Racial and Religious Discrimination
Read a full summary of the 
UKYP 2016-18 Full Term Report.pdf
View the 2016/17
#LetsTackleIt film or read the
event report
Contact info and further links
More about UK Youth Parliament.
More about British Youth Council
Email at: vic@leeds.gov.uk
Tweet us at: @LeedsYouthVoice
www.ukyouthparliament.org
