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This week, Lambeth Youth Council (LYC) has been meeting with New York students from St Lawrence University. The students are all studying subjects relating to youth and young people, particularly around politics and participation. Working in pairs and small groups they have touring the the UK gathering perspectives on young people issues and political involvement. When their tutor reached out to us in August to see if we could organise some joint activity in Lambeth, we jumped at the chance.
Last Saturday they joined the youth council's delegation to a British Youth Council convention on the upcoming ‘Votes at 16’ Campaign, Muhammed from St. Lawrence Uni. was impressed with how active and engaged LYC are in politics as well as the fact we have a UK Youth Parliament, adding that he ‘ investigate the prospects of developing a US Youth Congress’ when he returns.
On Thursday evening, the students joined our regular Youth Council meeting which was extended for a discussion on ‘Trump and Brexit’ as well as the role that young people play in shaping political discourse while denied enfranchisement. There was also an illuminating discussion on how our cultural identity impacts on our political preferences.
On Saturday, we’ll meet up for a big social in Brixton, and hopefully set out some plans to further develop this new partnership.
- Written by Olivia Tan (17) in December 2017