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Vote for us
Aim
This activity offers young people the experience of campaigning on issues that interest them, and encouraging others to vote in support.
You will need
- Flipchart paper and markers
- Sticky notes and pens
- A shoe box (or similar) to use as a ballot box
How to do it
Divide the young people into groups of four or five. Explain that the task is to create a political party that will campaign on youth issues. Each group will need to name their party and elect a leader.
Each political party now has 20 to 30 minutes to discuss and agree five election pledges of things that they will do to improve things locally for young people if they are elected. Once these have been agreed, allow the young people a further 30 minutes to come up with campaigns intended to persuade others to vote for them.
Invite each party to introduce themselves and then present their election pledges.
After the final party has taken their turn, ask the young people to vote. Explain that this is going to be a first-past-the-post ballot, meaning that the party with the most votes is the winner. Each person has two votes, and one of these votes can be used for his or her own party. Hand out two sticky notes to each person and then ask them to record their vote and fold the paper before posting it into the ballot box.
