Make Your Mark young people's vote

Youngsters across Bridgend county borough are being urged to make their mark this month and have a say on the most important issues facing young people locally and across the UK.

The UK Youth Parliament’s Make Your Mark ballot, which runs until November 30, gives children aged 11 to 18 the chance to help pick the top five issues young people face.

In previous years, the shortlisted topics chosen through the ballot have been debated in the House of Commons chamber by Members of Youth Parliament.

Bridgend has its own Youth Council in place to encourage young people to become involved in the democratic process.

Megan Stone, who is Bridgend’s Youth Mayor and the current Member of Youth Parliament for Bridgend, said: “The Make your Mark ballot is the biggest youth consultation in the UK.

“Due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic this year, the ballot has gone online and it is vital that local youngsters take the chance to have a say on the issues that affect them.”

Running since 2011, Make Your Mark has reached millions of young people with more than 850,000 from every corner of the country taking part in the summer of 2019, including 74,000 from Wales.

Any 11 to 18-year-olds from Bridgend who want to get involved can visit the Make Your Mark page on the UK Parliament Week website and vote on the topic that you think is most important across the UK, as well as one that you care about locally.

The issues being put to the ballot include mental health services, child poverty, plastic pollution, homelessness, access to training and jobs, and domestic violence.

Member of Youth Parliament will debate the topics chosen by the vote and campaign to influence the UK Parliament and their local politicians, to make sure the views of young people are heard by decision makers.