YOUNG PEOPLE ACROSS SUNDERLAND have agreed which direction they want their annual debate in the council chamber to take.
More than 6000 voted to decide what issues should appear on the agenda of this year’s Young People’s State of the City debate.
Children from every school and youth organisation in the city are invited to attend, with this year’s event organised by the Sunderland Youth Parliament being held on Friday 27 November.
The debate between 10am and 12 noon will focus on;
- Living Wage
- A curriculum to prepare us for life
- Mental Health
- Transport
- Tackling Racism
Delegates will be welcomed to the debate by Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services, Councillor Pat Smith, with senior politicians and council officers also invited to attend throughout the morning.
Councillor Smith said: “Last year we had more than 100 young people from across the city attend this annual event in the council chambers.
“The debate saw discussions on a number of issues with the main priority identified as a ‘ curriculum for life.’ Sunderland Youth Parliament has been working on this for the last nine months to prepare a report for Friday’s event.
“Friday will provide young people with the opportunity to find out how the concerns raised last year are being addressed, and decide which issue they would like to see scrutinised through the new term of the Sunderland Youth Parliament.”
Councillor Smith added: “We want to show young people that they can influence political debate in our city, and help shape council policy to provide the type of services they want to see provided to meet their needs.”
The programme and agenda for the Young People’s State of the City Debate decided and arranged by Sunderland Youth Parliament is;
9:30 – Registration and refreshments.
10:00 – Welcome speech.
10:15 – Debate.
11:15 – Vote.
11:30 – Results and closing speech.
Members of Sunderland’s Youth Parliament meet every week to provide young people (11-18) with the chance to debate issues affecting their lives.
Their views are also represented at the UK Youth Parliament and in annual debate in the House of Commons by Sunderland’s two MYPs.
Chair of the Sunderland Youth Parliament and Sunderland MYP Luwam Habte,17, from Washington said: “It is the fact that this annual debate is organised by young people who also set the agenda, which makes it so special and important to attend.
“Who better placed to identify the issues affecting young people than young people themselves, and who better to debate them.
“Being staged in the Council Chamber at the Civic also helps to demonstrate that our views and opinions are valued and appreciated by the decision makers and senior leadership at Sunderland City Council.”
