Youth MPs hope ideas for future will spark change

Danielle and Pranav were elected to the UK’s Youth Parliament in March and will each serve a two-year term

Youth MPs say they hope to bring real change in their role after sharing bright ideas for the future.

Danielle, 15, a pupil at Stanground Academy and Pranav, 14, a pupil at The King’s School, were elected as Peterborough's Youth MPs in March.

The pair said they both wanted to make a difference and educate people on cultural differences.

Danielle added she and her friends had experienced racism stemming from ignorance and hoped raising cultural awareness through events, schools, talks and seminars, could change that.

'Actually make a difference'

She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that she and her friends had experienced racism stemming from ignorance, such as people touching her hair without consent or making comments about cultural food.

Food fairs and dance festivals could “promote different cultures and make people feel welcome in Peterborough”, Pranav added.

Danielle said she also wanted to set up school uniform swap shops in the city to ease the burden of buying new school uniforms as child poverty had “definitely gotten worse with the cost of living”.

Pranav hoped to ease debt accumulating for students in higher education, such as his sister who is a university student.

“I understand that student loans can be very stressful and affect people’s mental health,” he said.

Another issue Danielle wanted to tackle was to making work experience easier to find for young people.

During the summer she will spend a week doing work experience as a case assistant for Peterborough’s MP, Paul Bristow.

Danielle said she was looking forward to the moment she had achieved something “concrete” which could “change someone’s life for the better”.

Pranav said he was excited to “listen to what people want in Peterborough” and talk to people who “can actually make a difference”.

The role of Youth MP involves leading campaigns, participating in meetings and sitting in the House of Commons to debate the issues facing young people once a year.