Page 90 - Future Leaders 2018-2019

Politics

Future Leader Venandah Madanhi
created ‘Our Brexit’ – a platform for
young people to have a voice on the
subject. Here she explains how it has
gone from strength to strength

When young people get involved in politics they are helping to shape the future.

rexit. Brexit. Brexit. We always education is limited. This results in
hear about it. We all know it is fewer young people getting involved in
Bhappening. But do we actually political discussions and shaping the
know what it means? These were the future. I wanted to change this.
questions that were running through That night my friend and I started
my mind in July 2017 when I attended Our Brexit (OB). OB is a non-partisan
my local MP’s summer party. Various platform for young people aged 16-25
MPs spoke about Brexit’s uncertainty, to make Brexit Vlogs, engage with
the economy and other implications. infographics, participate in online polls
I understood what they were talking and interview their local MP. The fi rst
about despite the jargon but I also OB poll I launched received 300 votes
understood that at 19 years of age, in the fi rst 24 hours and a total of 8,981
I was an exception. The only reason impressions on Twitter (@OurBrexit).
I understood their concepts was I organised and facilitated OB’s fi rst
because I had been immersed in the focus group that was comprised of eight
world of British politics since I was young people and Pat McFadden MP.
elected as a Youth Councillor at the The focus group was the fi rst of a series
age of 14 (studying Law at university called ‘Question Times’ with MPs.
also helped). The Question Time was a success and I
Politics is confusing and often discussed it on MADE in Birmingham
too turbulent for the average person TV alongside Pat McFadden on
to follow, let alone a young person. 13 October. My friend decided not to be
Especially at a time where youth clubs a part of OB any more in late October.
are nearly non-existent and citizenship This was unexpected and I suddenly