Comments such as “What’s the point in voting?” and “I don’t understand what I’m voting for” are commonplace in my further education college. Engaging young people in politics and democracy is hard, and getting through these negative barriers is the first hurdle.
As a government and politics teacher, it is my role to promote such discussions. Democracy is also a topic that schools in England are required to teach, as part of government guidance on promoting British values in the education system.
The Brexit vote, bringing major constitutional change, and the snap general election mean that it’s a subject of particular relevance right now. So what can teachers do to inform and engage young people in this issue?
I run a weekly current affairs discussion group, alongside a Facebook page where articles can be shared. Using tutorial and registration time to have these conversations – rather than asking students to give up their own time – has helped ensure students are included.
Big questions such as “What’s the point of democracy?” and “What would happen without democracy?” have proven successful in encouraging young people to express their thoughts. This also provides an opportunity for tutors to deliver informative content – for example, on the emergence of democracy in the UK or places where democracy has faltered.
Events such as the Paris terror attacks are prominent in student minds and can provide a way in to discuss features of western liberal democracy, and why these principles are essential to protect.
Hold your own referendum
One of the ways in which we are trying to engage our students in democracy is by holding a college referendum. We ran our own referendum on Brexit last year, and it helped to get students involved in the issue. Afterwards, we compared the results of the college to the national results and discussed the reasons behind them – the national trend for younger voters to vote Remain and why people in our area were focused on immigration levels as a key issue in the debate.
This year, we are linking a referendum into UK Parliament Week (13-17 November 2017). Schools and colleges can sign up for Parliament Week online, and receive a pack to help organise initiatives to tie in with this event. Although the issue for our college referendum is yet to be decided, we have two core aims: to raise the profile of a significant topic and highlight the participatory nature of democracy.
We want to encourage the idea that democracy is about playing an active role in the world in which you live. There will be information sections in the weekly newsletter, arguments for both the yes and no options displayed on presentation boards, and debates in class.
Visit parliament
The education centre at Westminster is an excellent facility to improve students’ understanding of, and engagement with, democracy. A tour of parliament includes visiting both chambers while in session, and pupils can also participate in a workshop.
My students took part in a “rights and representation” workshop, focusing on the history of UK democracy, the operation of parliament and the importance of elections and debate in the democratic process. When you organise one of the these visits, your local MP will be invited to talk to your group at the end of the workshop.
Involve your local MP
My local MP, Philip Lee, speaks at my college frequently. If you’re not already in contact with your constituency office, send an email asking if they will visit your school. Once you have met the team, the lines of communication, in my experience, are always open.
What an MP can bring to students will obviously vary depending on personality, but they should always be able to offer knowledge and a perspective from within the political sphere. I also find it helpful to remind students that politicians are humans.
In the lead-up to the referendum, my MP took part in a debate on Brexit, answering student questions in an honest and engaging manner. A few weeks ago, students had the opportunity to ask him his thoughts on Theresa May’s decision to call a snap election, as well as a range of other current issues.
Ultimately, our main aim must be to provide an interactive forum for students’ ideas and questions to be shared. If we can promote political discussion, perhaps we can also encourage the next generation to become active citizens in our democracy.
