Young people discover “U R Britain”

December 07

Tuesday 8 May saw the culmination of U R Britain, a pilot project delivered by Faith Regen Foundation, to empower young people of different faiths and ethnic backgrounds to get involved in their local community. An awards ceremony that recognises the achievements of the 25 young people who took part in the project took place at Portcullis House in Westminster on the 8th May 2007.
One young person on the project said: “The U R BRITAIN project was really interesting, and opened my eyes to some of the things that are going on in the world. I was also interested in the voting workshop, which showed you how to vote…so that you can get your voice heard, rather than letting people make decisions for you”.

The U R BRITAIN citizenship project, funded by Metropolitan Home Ownership, seeks to combat the growing alienation of young people from the political process. In the 2001 Election, it was estimated that only 39% of the 18- 24 year old age group voted compared to 70% of those aged 65. At a recent conference on the democratic divide, Minister of State for Constitutional Affairs Harriet Harman QC MP highlighted data that suggests that political disenfranchisement strongly correlates with economic and racial factors. Electoral Commission research also highlights the people least likely to be on the electoral role are the young, the poor, those from BME communities and those living in inner cities areas.

U R BRITAIN aims to inspire and motivate young people across all faith and ethnic groups to become active and informed citizens. The young people involved took part in fun and interactive workshops and led discussions and debates about issues such as international events, crime in the community and the role of media in society. As well as developing their knowledge of how the political processes work and how they as can play a part, young people worked in groups to explore how they could take responsibility and action in their communities to change things for the better. The resulting projects, including a DVD about Canning Town, a leaflet about Manor Park and a set of posters about Hackney, were presented at the awards.

All the young people who took part in the U R Britain programme were awarded with a certificate by Stephen Timms, MP for East Ham during the awards ceremony to recognise their hard work and achievements. Some of the young people who were involved in the project are now hoping to get first hand experience of decision making within government by undertaking work experience with MP’s.
Dr Husna Ahmed, CEO of Faith Regen Foundation said “Being a British Citizen is the interface between an individuals’ identity and social responsibility. This project aims to encourage young people to have pride in being a British citizen and contribute positively to their local communities.”

Graeme Moran, Director of Metropolitan Home Ownership said “MHO is delighted to have been able to sponsor this project. It’s so important for young people from all backgrounds to be encouraged to realise they can make a difference to the communities they live in by becoming more politically and socially aware. At MHO we believe that businesses and communities are run by those who turn up, take part and make their voice heard. Becoming an informed voter is a vital part of becoming a good citizen and a useful step on the career ladder.”

Faith Regen Foundation worked in partnership Community Links in Canning Town, Azizye Mosque education department in Hackney and Asian Social & Humanitarian Association (ASHA) in Manor Park to identify young people to take part in the U R Britain programme.