I think you are totally right about young people engaging in local issues and that engagement leading them on to a deeper and wider understanding of politics. I think there is an assumption in a democratic society that we will all work out how politics works but for us to get the best out of our structures, I think it is vital that all of us get the opportunity to learn skills and participate in experiences that deepen our understanding.

The learning outcomes of the qualification at level 1 specifically require young people to describe how local and national government work; know how a person registers to vote, how people are elected both locally and nationally, name the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition and name their parties and list responsibilities of local and national government. I feel it is vital that young people today know about the government and how it works, some may not have had this type of knowledge passed from family and to enhance our society for the future it is important that we let them know about this.

Within my organisation previously we have asked local councillors to visit and discuss the immediate and long term changes which are happening within our community and the impact it has on them. When a subject is local and effects young people they then engage and you can then open the wider picture of politics to them (without them knowing).

I look forward to hearing some responses to this subject.

It seems to me that it is there which there is a gap, and one which needs to be narrowed so young people can truly idenitfy with their roles both in society and in politics.