OUR VOICE, OUR VOTE, OUR FUTURE

OUR BIGGEST CONSULTATION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE IN CARMARTHENSHIRE

OUR PROJECT…

Our Voice, Our Vote, Our Future’ is Carmarthenshire’s annual youth consultation which finds out what issues matter the most to young people in our county. The consultation promotes democracy and enables Children’s Rights by encouraging young people to have a say in what matters to them. We launched Our Voice Our Vote, Our Future Ballot, during the Autumn term of 2023. We reached out and worked with secondary schools in Carmarthenshire, asking them to share the two most important issues for their students, we called these motions.

In November, we held a consultation event where two representatives from each of our secondary schools presented their motions. Everyone present took a vote, shortlisting the 10 TOP MOTIONS, forming our first Our Voice, Our Vote, Our Future ballot paper! The ballot paper went live in early 2024 and young people, aged 11-18 from across Carmarthenshire were encouraged to cast their vote on the one issue that matters most to their lives.

THE VOTE…

After the voting period, we counted the number of ballots we received and were amazed by how many of you used your voice for positive change. A total of 5221 votes were received from across Carmarthenshire. The results of the ballot were announced during the Carmarthenshire Youth Council Annual General Meeting held in April 2024 with the top issue voted for by young people was Teach Real Life Lessons In School with a total of 1051 votes.

The vote will shape the conversation around issues that directly impact young people’s lives and matter to them the most. Teach Real Life Lesson In School is now our priority issue and over the next 12 months we will give young people an opportunity to work on a campaign to make sure that their vote counts and makes a difference across Carmarthenshire.

WHAT WE’VE DONE SO FAR:

Contacted Schools and Projects letting them know what the top issues is.
Met with Carmarthenshire County Council’s Education Department Management Team to discuss the result, share our ideas and gain feedback.
Held and taken part in a workshop (for CYC Members) to discuss and research the issue further, created a draft timeline and appointed a sub-group to keep move the campaign on.
Created a campaign proposal that we will share with the Education Department Managers, Head Teachers and other relevant bodies to gain support and work together.
Four members of CYC are represented on the National Education and Training Advisory Boards for 11-16 and 16-25 year old rung by Young Wales