Government launches youth engagement website

The Join website includes information on registering to vote and video of young people discussing citizenship.

In its response to the Youth Citizenship Commission report on engaging young people, the government said it was not clear that lowering the voting age to 16 would have widespread support, even among 16- to 18-year-olds, but supported the commission's recommendation to engage young people through electoral registration in schools for 16- to 18-year-olds.

Dawn Butler, minister for youth citizenship and engagement, said: "I want young people to have their say. Whatever their ideas, we will be listening. If young people want a Citizenship Day, opportunities to volunteer, or to have their say on the big issues like lowering the voting age to 16, they need to tell us."

The British Youth Council welcomed the government's commitment to bringing young people closer to decision makers but said the report could have gone further in introducing financial backing for local youth councils, a commitment to lowering the voting age to 16, and more incentives and measures for increased representation of those less able to represent themselves, such as young people in care.

Alex Delaney, British Youth Council chair, said: "An increased role for young people is terrific but must be matched with proportionately more funding for staff, elections and expenses, and certainly not cutbacks to the local youth services, and third sector organisations who support hundreds of youth councils across the UK."