Youth Mayor and UK Youth Parliament

Last Updated on Wednesday, 28 December 2011 11:09 Written by Dianne Jones Thursday, 16 June 2011 18:24

The Youth Mayor is a spokesperson for young people in Lambeth and provides a link between young people, the media, decision-makers and service-providers. So if there's something happening in Lambeth that you want to shout about – let the Youth Mayor know.

He or she also responsible for allocating £25,000 in funding to projects designed for and run by young people. They work with other members of Lambeth Youth Council to highlight and campaign on issues that are important to local people, from human rights to youth crime to local facilities and education.

David Oyedele, 16, who lives in Brixton, was elected as Lambeth's Youth Mayor in February 2011.  The second highest vote saw 14-year-old Jacqueline Gomes, a student from Sacred Heart College, announced as Deputy.

During his time as Youth Mayor, David wants to focus on the need to protect young people from the impact of the cuts to services, encourage better GCSE results and provide more social and physical activities for young people in Lambeth.  This year, with support from the young mayor's advisors, he allocated a £25,000 budget to help achieve these aims.  David says "It's great to have the Youth Mayor Elections in Lambeth and the £25,000 budget we get shows that young people here are really taken seriously." 

Find out who received a Youth Mayor Fund this year. 

UK Youth Parliament members (MYPs) get together throughout the year to put together a document called The Manifesto which represents young peoples' views on the issues MYPs think are most important. These might be student tuition fees, transport costs for young people, healthy living, or anything else that's important to you.

Across the country MYPs work to give young people a voice, listening to youth groups, organising events, making films, meeting MPs, organising campaigns, appearing in the media and generally making sure your voices are heard.

Naomi Mwakamowo, 15, a student at Charles Edward Brooke School, was voted the next member of Youth Parliament (MYP), and Jeremiah Emmanuel, 12, a student at Archbishop Tenison's School, deputy MYP.  Naomi and Jeremiah are currently working on a project gathering views on gun and knife crime in Lambeth. 

Check out our Latest News for more information about the work they are doing.