Candidates prepare for Youth Parliament elections

Elections for Hackney’s Youth Parliament will be held this month, with 37 young people aged 11-19 up for the vote from October 10-16.

The borough’s young politicians have acted as ambassadors during the Olympics, launched an initiative to help their peers cope with exams, and sit on Hackney Council’s Children’s Services scrutiny committee.

Voting will take place in schools, colleges, and youth clubs to select candidates in four constituencies: Homerton, north east Hackney, Shoreditch, and Stoke Newington. Results will be announced at Hackney town hall on Wednesday October 17, the day after the polls close.

Each candidate has prepared a manifesto, which can be viewed at www.younghackney.org, and will appear at a hustings to expand on their views on Tuesday October 9, at Stoke Newington Town Hall, from 6-8pm.

Two current Parliament members, Jermain Jackman and Rebecca Samuel, both 17, will mentor newly-elected members.

Rebecca said: “I didn’t really know what I was letting myself in for when I applied, but it’s been amazing.

“The things we do really make a difference to life in Hackney – we’ve got members on the council’s scrutiny board, we’re involved in safeguarding, we work with the police and loads more.”