On the surface, my generation seems to be disengaged from politics and the political process.
But the reasons for this don’t lie with the young people; disengagement has not been due to hatred of politics or a lack of interest, but, rather, due to our limited access to politics and political debate. Young people should have a right and an opportunity to shape their future, and the future of the country, at a time when they are having to decide what examination subjects to take to shape their future careers and, in turn, their lives.
Young people see a disparity between law and logic, with it being legal for 16-year-olds to have and raise a child, yet have no say in what sort of a country it is that that child will grow up in. If nothing else, the change would encourage young people to be able to express their views with the confidence that they will be taken seriously and have even a minor impact. This is necessary in order to increase interest and discussion around political debate and create a buzz about the change that could be achieved.
We know that young people are both hungry for and engaged with the opportunities provided for them. Organisations such as Citizens UK are here to help unite institutions and community groups as well as build the skills of students to a point where they can engage with and confront high-ranking politicians and officials in a setting that allows for actual meaningful change.
Young people are under-represented in their country, constituency and even in their immediate community. What we need is a way for all young people to realise that their actions can have a profound and meaningful outcome and facilitate the means of doing this. Lowering the voting age to one that is inclusive of those who are an integral part of our society as well as the future of the world is one sensible route.
In relation to the other groups in society, young people often fall short in terms of respect and attention paid to them when presenting ideas of how to make change. I’ve attempted to change my local council’s stance on the physical measures of road safety around my school. My work was rejected, irrespective of a survey of 200 local people to see if change was needed and if they consented to the charter we provided. This is my experience, as well as that of countless other young people on different issues. It may dishearten us: however, in my case, it does not result in a lack of political engagement. Instead, it creates a drive to be successful in a field that seems inaccessible. This response might not be the norm, though, and the reality is that young people are often brushed aside in the political system with excuses of immaturity, lack of responsibility and a general lack of knowledge.
We are not the politically disengaged generation – we are merely disenfranchised. By making the voting age lower and, in turn, the general stance and importance of young people’s engagement in politics higher, we gain the responsibility and respect desired to make the voices of young people heard.
The vote for 16-year-olds would allow them to show their confidence and express their views on our world. This is crucial for young people. Political activism is something that can and should be accessible to all ages: everyone has an opinion on the world and everyone should have the ability to make meaningful, decisive change to help themselves, their families, future generations and those in society around us.
Will politicians take into consideration young people as a political asset? Without the vote, politicians can ignore the views of young people. Given the vote, governments would have to take the views and wellbeing of the future generation into consideration.
Being aged 17 now, and 16 at the time of the last general election, I must live under a government that I had no option to influence. I didn’t decide to be passive: my age meant that my view was irrelevant at the time. My views, as well as that of others my age, could have been, and should have been, a factor in deciding who and how the country that I will learn, live and work in is governed and run.
