Alliance Youth supports campaign for NI Youth Assembly

10.11.00am BST (GMT +0100) Sat 20th Oct 2007

Alliance Youth Chair Stephen Martin today backed the '108' Campaign by WIMPS, an organisation run by and for young people to enable them to influence decision makers. The aim of the '108' campaign is the establishment of a Youth Assembly for Northern Ireland, marked today by 108 young people, one for each Assembly member, descending on Stormont to lobby their representatives on the issue.

Stephen Martin said: "Alliance Youth is committed to actively encouraging young people to get involved and make their voices' heard. The campaign by WIMPS for a Northern Ireland Youth Assembly builds on the good work of local Youth Councils in places such as Belfast, Fermanagh and Coleraine. The campaign also illustrates that young people aren't as apathetic and disinterested in what is going on around them than some may think.

"Northern Ireland should follow the lead of the devolved institutions in Scotland and Wales and establish a Youth Assembly as soon as possible so that young people from across Northern Ireland are given the opportunity to debate the issues and make their views known to those in power. You'll no doubt find that our professional politicians may just end up learning a thing or two from Northern Ireland's next generation!"

ENDS