YOUNG people from Cornwall have joined the first workshop of a new nationwide youth network to re-imagine the future of democracy.

Four young people representing the Cornwall Youth Council came together with more than 30 of their peers from across the UK to work with the Windsor-based education charity Cumberland Lodge as part of its Youth & Democracy project.

Over the course of the weekend (November 8 to 10), the attendees aged 15 to 20 enjoyed sessions run by the charity as well as guest organisations including US-based Braver Angels, and the Institute for Strategic Dialogue. They have all previously attended focus groups run by the charity in regions across the country, including Cornwall.

Their conversations inform a new report recently published from Cumberland Lodge, Rising Voices: Youth Perspectives on Political Engagement, which makes recommendations for how to increase young people’s political participation.

Depolarising Politics Workshop
The Depolarising Politics Workshop (Submitted)

The Youth & Democracy network is designed to build young people’s confidence in critical thinking, community engagement, communication skills, and to enable them to connect with peers from different regions. The 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.

Rosie George, youth worker with Cornwall Council, said of the workshop: “They've really enjoyed this weekend. They've found a lot of really useful tools that have come out of it that they can take back to our wider members and our wider youth council and back into their community, which is really great.

“It's been a lot of learning, a lot of information that they have. They're already asking when they can have some sessions to do it with the rest of the group.”

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.”