To Vote, or Not to Vote?
30 March 2010
David Rayner speaks to the Forum
Trip to Parliament for Interfaith Forum
Members of the Derby Youth Interfaith Forum headed to London on Thursday 25 March to see how government works and to debate key issues in British politics.
The trip was organised by staff at the Multi Faith Centre, based at the University's Kedleston Road site, and was funded by the Home Office initiative, Free-D.
An abbreviation for 'Free Democracy', the Free-D project aims to encourage open debate within communities, where people can voice their views without fear and the threat of reprisal.
The Derby Youth Interfaith Forum
The Forum consists of a mixture of people aged between 16 and 25 from across the city and from different religious backgrounds.
Supported by Volunteering England, Capacity Builders and V, the project aims to bring young people together and encourage their involvement in faith based volunteering.
Members of the Forum, including University students and staff, were joined by members of the community for the trip, which was planned to help young people from different faiths and backgrounds engage with politics.
House of Parliament
After arriving in London, their first port of call was the Houses of Parliament, where the group watched a Commons debate on education budgets.
Then, they were introduced to David Rayner, a senior civil servant based in the Department for Communities and Local Government.
Mr Rayner gave a talk on his work and answered questions about governance and the political system. This was a great opportunity for the group to learn about the mechanics of government, and how policy is transformed into practice.
Speakers' Corner
Next on the tour was Speakers' Corner in Hyde Park, the famous bastion of democracy in the shadow of Marble Arch. Here, the group held a debate on the merits of democracy and the importance of voting in modern Britain.
Karl Marx, George Orwell and Lenin all frequented Speakers' Corner, so what better place was there to hold a political debate? Indeed, just as the great orators of history attracted large crowds, so did the young debaters. Within minutes, lots of passers-by had stopped to listen, take photos and consider the issues being discussed.
Feedback
Dr. Philip Henry, Director of the Multi Faith Centre and organiser of the trip, said: "During our regular discussions with the Forum, the issue of politics and voting kept coming up, and it was clear that the majority of the group felt very disenfranchised.
"We saw the opportunity to use our funding from the Free-D programme to take the Forum to London so they could experience politics first-hand, with the hope that it might spark more interest in the issue.
"We felt this would be much more valuable to the group than an abstract discussion held in Derby".
The day itself was a real success, and the young people certainly seemed to take much from the experience. The energy and passion in the debate at Speakers' Corner reflected a real interest within the group, and the discussion felt constructive. Certainly, the popular opinion that voting was a waste of time came under sustained challenge.
Dr Henry believes the day was very beneficial for the young people: "The experience enriched their learning both about politics and government generally, but more importantly, about what they themselves felt about the issue.
"It changed their thinking, how they feel about politics. It made them stop and think, 'Yes, we do have a voice!', and that can only be a great thing".
The success of the trip emphasizes the valuable and important work of the Multi Faith Centre and the benefits it is bringing to our communities. Indeed, the centre has recently undertaken a strategic role, with Dr Henry being given responsibility for five national projects aimed at promoting faith based volunteering across the country.
In this respect, the trip to London may just be the first of many great things to come.
Luke Foddy
Community Projects
