Talkin' 'bout our generation: Getting young people involved in politics
Are young people's voices being listened to?
Updated 14:35, 22 FEB 2017
Joe Dale, left, and Terry Macalister
Are young people's voices being listened to on some of the most important issues?
Young people under 25 are coming together in Cambridge on March 4 to discuss ways of getting their voice heard on public issues.
They will be asked: "What would you do if you had the power to make Cambridge and Britain better places to live?"
The assembly, the first in a series of events, Talkin' 'bout our generation, is being organised by and for local youth with the help of The Cambridge Commons, an inequality campaign.
Talkin bout our generation in Cambridge
The big topic on everybody's lips. Young people will have to live with the decisions reached in this momentous political shift, but are they being listened to and will the deal the government negotiates be right for young people now and in the future?
Cambridge is a pretty unequal city and it can be hard to get by unless you have pockets bulging with cash. Unfortunately, this means a lot of young people miss out. At a time where who you know seems more important than what you know, is enough being done to make sure everyone has the same opportunities?
There could be a billion pounds on the table, but young people's voices seem conspicuously absent when the City Deal sits down to discuss its priorities. This is a real opportunity to shape the city and its surrounds and it is important that everyone has a say.
Pollution & the environment
This will be something that has an effect on everyone and it's the young who will have to deal with it and make changes to ensure the planet's survival. Now's the chance to speak up and make a real difference!
Jobs in Cambridge
Does Cambridge offer the right opportunities for everyone, and how are young people supposed to find places to live, work and study in such an expensive and competitive environment? There's a lot being done to help, but what could be done better?
Some have already spoken out about being cut off in the evenings or weekends by poor or unreliable bus services. It's a serious issue and can be a problem that affects young people's independence. What's your take on this?
"We are hoping we will be able to attract people from all kinds of backgrounds to discuss everything from Brexit, tuition fees and fairness between the generations to pollution, poor bus services and job opportunities in Cambridge," said Joe Dale who will chair part of the assembly from 2pm to 6pm on Saturday, March 4 at the Friends Meeting House on Jesus Lane.
"We want to see whether we ought to have a regular forum and to ensure young people are properly consulted over issues such as how to spend the £1bn potentially available for the Cambridge City Deal."
What's in a road name? Just a chapter or five of history...
Concern about the position of the younger generation has been highlighted by predictions that it will be significantly worse off – income-wise - than their parents' generation.
Historically each generation has been more affluent than the past one but this has ground to a halt. The Resolution Foundation, a think tank, reported recently that "generational inequality risks becoming a new inequality for our times."
But young people in Cambridge risk being doubly-disadvantaged by the massive escalation in local house prices. Many young people brought up in the city are aware that they cannot afford to live here and may be forced to move away. Cambridge has also just topped a list of being the most unequal cities in Britain in income terms.
What's in a road name? A little bit of history...
Generational differences influenced the referendum on Brexit. Young voters were generally in favour of Britain remaining inside the EU compared to older generations. And yet students and other youth were also far less likely to influence the outcome because many did not exercise their right to vote.
Dale said he hopes to discuss at the March 4 assembly how to ensure that young people participate fully in politics and civic life and turn out to vote.
The Cambridge Commons (TCC) was established three years ago to campaign for local policies that counter growing inequality in Cambridge. The event has been part-organised by Terry Macalister (pictured) who is on the steering committee of the Cambridge Commons.
Anyone between 16 and 25 years old can register for the event here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/talkin-bout-our-generation-tickets-29731828700