Young people from across the UK are sharing their views on political engagement through a new youth network set up by Cumberland Lodge to help re-imagine the future of democracy.
We have today published a report, Rising Voices: Youth Perspectives on Political Engagement, summarising the views of young people in the network who are aged 13-23 and from youth organisations nationwide.
The report makes five recommendations based on conversations with young people in locations including Belfast, Birmingham, Cornwall, Liverpool and London. They are:
- Improve political literacy
- Foster genuine engagement
- Reform electoral systems
- Support youth-led initiatives
- Increase trust in government
The Youth & Democracy network is designed to build young people’s confidence in critical thinking, community engagement, and communication skills, and to enable them to hold conversations with peers from different regions.
Our aim is for young people to be able to take the skills they develop back into their communities, to engage in democratic practices and promote political participation.
We held the first residential workshop for the network at Cumberland Lodge on 8-10 November. Sessions were run by the Cumberland Lodge team as well as guest organisations including USA-based Braver Angels and the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, and covered the need to disagree better, how to facilitate conflict, the importance of storytelling in dialogue, and more.
Munny Purba, Programme Officer at Cumberland Lodge and author of the Rising Voices report, said:
“Including young voices in conversations about democracy is essential. They bring fresh perspectives and a deep understanding of the issues facing their communities, yet are too often left out of these discussions.
By equipping young people with a toolkit of skills in constructive dialogue, critical thinking, and community engagement, we hope they can adapt these tools to fit their unique contexts.
This approach goes beyond political engagement; it’s about nurturing a generation that values empathy, resilience, and collaboration in the face of complex social challenges in an increasingly polarised world.”
Youth & Democracy is a three-year project which will culminate in a Youth Assembly, where young people will re-imagine what the UK’s political system could look like in order to revitalise our democratic institutions.
View and download the Rising Voices report using the button below.