Epping Forest Youth Councillor

Mrs Robinson-Smith was pleased to welcome Year 6 and the Senior pupils into the hall, where everyone gathered to listen to the students who wished to represent our school on the Epping Forest Youth Council deliver their election speeches. The two successful candidates will join a council of 20 children representing local schools.

The four candidates were delighted to present their ideas and share why they believed their peers should vote for them to represent the school on this local council.

First to the podium was Gemma, who confidently began by saying she was proud to be standing for election. She explained:
"This community has shaped who I am. I've walked the same streets, played in the same parks, and gone to the same school as many of you, so I understand what life is really like for young people here."

Next to engage with the audience was Amelia, who opened her speech with a thought-provoking question:
"Let me start by asking you a simple question. Do you believe young people should have a voice? Our world is full of crime and illness, and it is slowly deteriorating. If no one steps up now, it will be too late, which is why I want to help make a start."

Shreeya then took her place at the podium and shared her perspective:
"I believe young people should have a voice in the decisions that affect us, because we are the ones growing up in this community and our opinions matter. Today, young people face many challenges. Peer pressure and social media can sometimes make it difficult to make the right choices. Social media can be a great way to connect with others, but it can also bring pressure to follow friends in ways that may not always be healthy or safe."

Finally, George presented his thoughts to his peers. As someone who lives in the local area, he spoke about the importance of addressing the rise in knife crime and exploring ways to help reduce depression among young people. Promoting wellbeing and safety were key issues he hoped to champion on the Youth Council.

All of the candidates spoke about their desire to be the voice of those who elected them and to create opportunities and spaces where young people could thrive, be heard, and be treated with respect when sharing their ideas, hopes and concerns. They also recognised the value of this opportunity to strengthen their leadership skills and to represent both the views of their peers and the wider youth community in our area.

Each candidate was warmly applauded for their speech and listened to with great thoughtfulness. Pupils were then given a moment to reflect on their choices. As in all elections, they were asked to complete a ballot paper with the two candidates they wished to support and place it into a sealed ballot box. The ballot box will be taken away by the council, where the votes will be counted.

We look forward to hearing the results in a couple of weeks. Mrs Robinson-Smith was proud of how eloquently each candidate spoke at the podium and how inspiring they were to the audience.