Is there any importance to youth involvement in politics?
- Eric Dougherty
- Apr 18, 2018
- 2 min read
April 18 2018
By Eric Dougherty
“Youth suffers when government limits their options”
There is a fear that we may very well be on the brink of community atrophy. Backlash from the 2016 election, as well as a feeling of poor representation on a political, social, and economic level, have created a reeling back in community involvement. However, it is important now more than ever that we are increasing engagement in such issues.
In a recent discussion held at Tunxis Community College, Bristol’s mayor— Ellen Zoppo-Sassu—posited that there is an unaddressed demographic that deserves a louder political voice. By starting her very own Youth Council, Mayor Zoppo-Sassu has responded to a group who feel, “people aren’t listening unless we’re screaming”.
Currently, kids age ten to eighteen are eligible to apply. The structure for the Youth Council has a fluidity that allows its members to explore a variety of levels of political engagement. Involvement with Nutmeg TV to publicly broadcast live meetings allows transparency and accessibility to council discussions. Visiting various branches such as the Bristol police department, public works projects, and working with the parks and rec department to create a summer music festival has also fostered an interest in kids feeling involved in local politics. A recent success came from student representatives who brought attention to the stressful schedule around midterms that was not conducive to succeeding in these exams. As a result, the Board of Education changed the structure of the mid-term schedule to allow more time for studying.
Challenges Bristol's Youth Council seeks to tackle next include:
• Class sizes
• Mental health/behavioral problems
• Building a bridge in the Davis Drive/Cambridge Park area to allow students a shorter passage to their school
Why do these children feel their role is not important?
Mayor Zoppo-Sassu recognizes significant disadvantages that children must deal with to become politically active. Challenges such as a lack of support, transportation, and time impact a group who believe their voice is hushed by an adult-oriented political agenda. Other social issues like the stigma of “political interest = nerd” have also consequently stunted a rise in potential youth involvement. Similarly, children are rarely even asked if they would like to participate in political discussions. This is an extensive issue because it also affects our responsibility as role models, parents, advisors, and civically engaged individuals to nurture a role in politics for the next generation.
留言