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EUISMOD ELEMENTUM

Norfolk candidate pack

UK Youth Parliament in Norfolk

If you would like to apply to stand as a member of UK Youth Parliament in Norfolk you will find all the information you need inside this pack.

Things you need to know:

Norfolk has 9 Members of Youth Parliament (MYPs) who are elected for a 2 year term. Each MYP has a responsibility for representing the views of young people from a particular area of Norfolk, we call this their constituency. Members of Youth Parliament meet with Lisa Christensen, Director of Childrens Services and Alison Smith, Cabinet Member for Childrens Services. Each MYP has the same constituency as their local Member of Parliament (MP) with whom they can work closely with. MYPs are elected by a Norfolk wide vote by young people that takes place in schools, colleges, youth clubs and libraries. The 9 MYPs share 4 votes nationally. These votes are used to make decisions regionally and nationally such as deciding what campaigns the UKYP should run and selecting representatives for committee groups.

What is UK Youth Parliament?

The UK Youth Parliament (UKYP) is run by young people for young people. It provides a unique platform that enables young people to use their energy and passion to change the world for the better. Having engaged hundreds of thousands of 11-18 year olds over the last ten years, UKYP gives the young people of the UK a powerful voice which is heard and listened to by local and national government, providers of services for young people and other agencies who have an interest in the views and needs of young people.

Why is UKYP important?

The UKYP enables children and young people to be involved in developing and challenging government policies on a local, regional and national scale. UKYP believes that through the involvement of children and young people it is able to help improve the lives of children and young people in the UK. UKYP has its foundation in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). Article 12 states that young people have the right to be heard and for what they say to be taken seriously. UKYP is dedicated to ensuring the voices of children and young people are heard at the highest levels of decision making.

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How can I get involved?

There are several ways you can get involved with the UKYP.

Stand for election

To become a MYP you must stand for election. If you are interested in standing for election you need to complete a candidate form. You can complete this online by visiting: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ukypnorfolk. A paper version of the candidate form is also included at the end of this document. The closing date for submitting your completed candidate form is 1.30pm on Friday 18 November 2011. After you have submitted your form, we will send you a letter to confirm that we have received it. We will also send you a consent form which we will need your parent or carer to complete and return to us. You will then be invited to attend a hustings event on Saturday 26 November at County Hall, Norwich, where you will be able to learn more about the UKYP and to state why you think you should be included in the 2012 election. You will also be involved in making the selection for the final candidates to stand for election in the 9 constituencies. At this stage you may still change your mind about standing. All candidates standing for election will be required to take part in an online discussion with young people in Norfolk. We call these people the electorate; they are the people who will vote in the elections. The online discussion will launch on Monday 5 December 2011 and will run up to the elections in 2012. The electorate will be able to find out more information about the candidates by asking them questions about their views on a variety of topics. This will help them to decide who they vote for at the polling station.

Connect with your MYP

Once elected, the MYPs will use social media such as Facebook and Twitter to keep in contact with young people in Norfolk and to generate support for campaigns. Young people will also be able to continue their discussion with their MYPs on our online discussion site. Visit our Facebook page for more information about the different ways you can connect with your MYP: www.facebook.com/ ukypnorfolk.

Support campaigns and activities

In a democracy everyones views are important. Its not just about having a vote, but what happens after the vote that really matters. Tell your MYP what you think should be done in your area and find out how you can help. You dont have to be an MYP to take part in UKYP campaigns and activities. Many MYPs organise local events for young people to take part in or hold joint surgeries with their MP.

Vote for your MYP

If you are aged between 11 and 18 years old you have the right to vote for your preferred candidate to become your MYP in the 2012 UKYP elections. The elections will take place during the week beginning 30 January 2012. You will be able to vote at polling stations operated in schools, youth clubs and libraries across Norfolk.

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What will MYPs be required to do?

MYPs will be required to do the following: Meet on a monthly basis in Norfolk - meetings are generally held during the week from 5-7pm. Attend regional meetings across the East of England with MYPs from other counties approximately 6 meetings are held each year and they generally take place during the weekend. Keep in contact with young people in their constituency and represent their views at a variety of meetings and forums. Campaign on issues that young people feel are important. Work closely with Norfolk County Council and contribute to local decision making processes. In addition, 4 MYPs will be able to: Attend UKYPs Annual Sitting, where MYPs from across the UK come together to discuss topical issues, celebrate their achievements and develop a list of issues that they want to campaign on, we call this the national UKYP manifesto. You can view the current national manifesto here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/68335310 and the local manifesto, which the current MYPs have agreed, here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/68335461 Attend a debate in the House of Commons which is chaired by the Speaker John Bercow. MYPs will debate and vote on key topics and decide their national campaign for the year.

Youth work students from Germany attend a meeting to learn about the UKYP

What responsibilities do MYPs have?

MYPs have the responsibility to uphold the following ideas and principles: The UKYP is an independent national body, which seeks to represent no party political view. The discussions of the UKYP are to be solely issue based. The UKYP will ensure that the young people of the UK are given a voice on any issue that affects them as laid out in Article 12 of the UNCRC, as long as it does not affect the rights of others. The UKYP will respect the issues as laid in the UNCRC, to ensure that every young person who participates in the work of the UKYP, has his/her rights respected and protected. Any young person up to and including the age of 18, has the right to have his/her view heard and listened to by the UKYP.

As elected MYPs, their duty is towards: The young people who voted for them. The young people who didnt vote for them. Every young person in their constituency.

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What support is provided for MYPs?

The UKYP in Norfolk is coordinated by Norfolk County Councils Consultation and Community Relation team. Robin Konieczny and Tom Gaskin will support the MYPs during their 2 year term. Once elected, MYPs will attend an induction day where they will learn more about the UKYP and their role as a MYP. MYPs will also receive training on a range of areas which will support them to carry out their role such as: Public speaking Chairing meetings Using social media Campaigning

Since I was elected as a Member of the Youth Parliament, I have had a really great time. I have had my confidence boosted because I have been to many different events. I have made my public speaking skills better because I have been talking at sittings, meetings and so on. Being an MYP requires a lot of work. You need to be able to speak to your councillors, MPs, meet up with your constituents and so on. I have been able to plan events during my time, which was a real achievement in my point of view. It made me feel so much better for myself. I felt that I had helped people. Which made me smile!

Next steps
If you are interested in standing for election please complete a candidate form online by visiting: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ ukypnorfolk or complete and return the paper version at the end of this document. Jake Hillyard, 2010 - 2012

MYP for Norwich North

More information
If you have any questions about the UKYP or need any help completing a candidate form please contact: Robin Konieczny, Senior Consultation and Involvement Officer Tel. 01603 495102, Email: robin.konieczny@norfolk.gov.uk Tom Gaskin, Consultation and Involvement Officer Tel. 01603 495107, Email: tom.gaskin@norfolk.gov.uk You can find more information about the UKYP in Norfolk on our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/ukypnorfolk You can also visit the UKYP website for more information about what the UKYP does regionally and nationally: www.ukyouthparliament.org.uk

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UKYP Norfolk Candidate Application Form

Thank you for your interest in applying to stand as a member of the UK Youth Parliament in Norfolk. The UK Youth Parliament (UKYP) provides a unique platform that enables young people to use their energy and passion to change the world for the better. Having engaged hundreds of thousands of 11-18 year olds over the last 10 years, UKYP gives the young people of the UK a powerful voice which is heard and listened to by local and national government, providers of services for young people and other agencies who have an interest in the views and needs of young people. How can I become a Member of Youth Parliament? To become a Member of UK Youth Parliament (MYP) you must stand for election. If you are interested in standing for election you need to complete this candidate form. If you need any help completing your candidate form, please contact Tom Gaskin on 01603 495107 or email tom.gaskin@norfolk.gov.uk The closing date for submitting your completed candidate form is 1.30pm on Friday 18th November 2011. After you have submitted your form, we will send you a letter to confirm that we have received it. We will also send you a consent form which we will need your parent or carer to complete and return to us. Fair Processing of Personal Data The information you provide about yourself is personal data and we (Norfolk County Council) are collecting it so that we can involve you in the UK Youth Parliament. We will only keep it for as long as you are involved in the UK Youth Parliament. Once you have ended your involvement we will delete your information. We won't share your information with any third party organisations.

About you
Name: Address:

Postcode: Home telephone number: Mobile number: Email address:

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Date of birth (dd/mm/yy): Age: Name of school, college or workplace (we need this information to help decide which area you can stand for election in):

Address:

Postcode: Telephone number:

Why you want to become a Member of Youth Parliament

Your responses to the following questions will be used to help choose the final candidates to stand for election. Please note that we may publish your responses online for others to see. Please tell us why you think you would make a good Member of UK Youth Parliament:

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Please tell us what difference you would like to make as a Member of UK Youth Parliament:

Thank you for completing this form. Please post it to the following address so that it arrives by 1.30pm on Friday 18th November 2011. UK Youth Parliament Rm 501 County Hall Martineau Lane Norwich NR1 2GG

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