YOUTH COUNCILS:YOUTH COUNCILS:PROMOTING GENDER PROMOTING GENDER EQUALITYEQUALITY

Evanthia LyonsEvanthia Lyons

DirectorDirector

Social Psychology European Research InstituteSocial Psychology European Research Institute

University of SurreyUniversity of Surrey

Guildford GU2 7 XHGuildford GU2 7 XH

United KingdomUnited Kingdom

LYSISTRATALYSISTRATA:: […] […] All the long years when the hopeless war All the long years when the hopeless war dragged alongdragged along we, unassuming, forgotten in quiet, endured we, unassuming, forgotten in quiet, endured without question, endured in our lonelinesswithout question, endured in our loneliness all your incessant all your incessant child's antics and riot.child's antics and riot. Our lips we kept tied, though aching with silence, though well Our lips we kept tied, though aching with silence, though well all the while in our silence we knew how wretchedly all the while in our silence we knew how wretchedly everything still was progressing by listening dumbly the day everything still was progressing by listening dumbly the day long to you.long to you. For always at home you continued discussing the For always at home you continued discussing the war and its politics loudly, and we sometimes would ask you, our war and its politics loudly, and we sometimes would ask you, our hearts deep with sorrowing though we spoke lightly, though happy hearts deep with sorrowing though we spoke lightly, though happy to seeto see

““What's to be inscribed on the side of the Treaty-stone?What's to be inscribed on the side of the Treaty-stone?““What, dear, was said in the Assembly today?”What, dear, was said in the Assembly today?”

““Mind your own businessMind your own business,” he'd answer me growlingly,” he'd answer me growlingly““hold your tongue, womanhold your tongue, woman, or else go away.”, or else go away.”

And so I would hold itAnd so I would hold it.. Well, Well, so I did nothing but sit in the so I did nothing but sit in the house, feeling dreary, and sigh,house, feeling dreary, and sigh, while ever arrived some while ever arrived some fresh tale of decisions more foolish by far and presaging fresh tale of decisions more foolish by far and presaging disaster.disaster. Then I would say to him,Then I would say to him,

““O my dear husband, why still do they rush onO my dear husband, why still do they rush ondestruction the faster?”destruction the faster?”At which he would look at me sideways, exclaiming,At which he would look at me sideways, exclaiming,

““Keep for your web and your shuttle your care,Keep for your web and your shuttle your care,or for some hours hence your cheeks will be sore and hot; or for some hours hence your cheeks will be sore and hot; leave this aloneleave this alone, war is Man's sole affair, war is Man's sole affair!”!”

[…] […] Now in turn you're to hold tongue, as we did, and listen Now in turn you're to hold tongue, as we did, and listen while we show the way to recover the nation.while we show the way to recover the nation. Girdled now Girdled now sit humbly at home, munching beans, while you card wool sit humbly at home, munching beans, while you card wool and comb.and comb. For war from now on is the Women's affair!For war from now on is the Women's affair!

Aristophanes, LysistrataAristophanes, Lysistrata

Predictors of the under-Predictors of the under-representation of womenrepresentation of women

Low % of women’s political activism& participation

Prejudice against women in politics and discriminatory practices

Exclusionary male networks

Lack of civic knowledge, political self-confidence, efficacy and activism

Domestic responsibilities & lack of family friendlyarrangements

(Source: Rao, 2005)

Presentation OutlinePresentation Outline Research on Youth Civic Development & Research on Youth Civic Development &

Political SocializationPolitical Socialization Introducing the concept of Youth Councils Introducing the concept of Youth Councils

(YC)(YC) Perceived Strength and Weaknesses of YCPerceived Strength and Weaknesses of YC The role of Youth Council (YC) in The role of Youth Council (YC) in

empowering young women to participate in empowering young women to participate in local and national politics local and national politics

UK Youth ParliamentUK Youth Parliament

Social Influence Agents on Social Influence Agents on Youth Political ParticipationYouth Political Participation

FamilyFamily

School School

Youth OrganisationsYouth Organisations (i.e. Youth Forums, (i.e. Youth Forums, Councils)Councils)

WhatWhat is a Youth Council?is a Youth Council?

Youth councils usually describe groups Youth councils usually describe groups of young people who come together in of young people who come together in committees to discuss issues relating committees to discuss issues relating to their communities.to their communities.

WhatWhat is a Youth Council?is a Youth Council?

Local Youth Councils exist to represent the Local Youth Councils exist to represent the views of young people (under 26 yrs) at a views of young people (under 26 yrs) at a local level. Run local level. Run byby young people young people forfor young young people, youth councils provide a voice for people, youth councils provide a voice for young people enabling them to make their young people enabling them to make their views heard in the decision-making process.views heard in the decision-making process.

British Youth Council British Youth Council (BYC)(BYC)

Types of YCTypes of YC

FeederFeeder organisations organisationsShadowShadow organisations organisationsConsultative Consultative organisationsorganisations

YC enable YC enable Young PeopleYoung People to: to:

Voice their concernsVoice their concerns

Participate in local government Participate in local government

Be empowered to take decisions and Be empowered to take decisions and action to improve their local community action to improve their local community

YC enable YC enable Local CouncilsLocal Councils to: to:

Truly represent the whole of the Truly represent the whole of the community they live incommunity they live in

Become more vibrant, modern and Become more vibrant, modern and dynamicdynamic

Encourage young people to vote and Encourage young people to vote and become councillors when they are old become councillors when they are old enoughenough

Improve services to young peopleImprove services to young people

YC enable YC enable Local CommunityLocal Community to: to:

Become safer and more sustainableBecome safer and more sustainable

More vibrant and progressiveMore vibrant and progressive

Improve services and be more Improve services and be more representativerepresentative

Perceived Strengths of YCPerceived Strengths of YC

sense of sense of self-worthself-worth and confidenceand confidence better understandingbetter understanding of of andand personal personal

involvementinvolvement in local issuesin local issues acquisition ofacquisition of new skills new skills aspirationaspiration to become a politicianto become a politician

(Source : Matthews, 2001)(Source : Matthews, 2001)

“ “ I gained personally…I gained personally…confidenceconfidence …it was a good …it was a good

experience. experience. I think I kind of want to be a I think I kind of want to be a politician…it might be quite nicepolitician…it might be quite nice.”.”

(woman, aged 15)(woman, aged 15)

“ “ I used to be so shy and now I can just talkI used to be so shy and now I can just talk…it …it really brought me out of my shell…I also think really brought me out of my shell…I also think now about what’s going on locallynow about what’s going on locally…and what do …and what do other young people want from this.”other young people want from this.”

(woman, aged 16)(woman, aged 16)

Perceived Weaknesses of YCPerceived Weaknesses of YC

They haveThey have ‘ ‘no powerno power’’ They areThey are ‘‘too bureaucratictoo bureaucratic’’ It It does not representdoes not represent the views of the views of

people like mepeople like me They are monitored by They are monitored by adults’ adults’

agendasagendas and and processesprocesses

““I like it I like it but the older ones tend to run but the older ones tend to run things … they don’t listen to us…there things … they don’t listen to us…there times when I feel why bothertimes when I feel why bother…why don’t …why don’t they just get on with it.”they just get on with it.”

““YouthYouth at the at the tabletable””Report I: Governance-what is all Report I: Governance-what is all

about?about?Recommendations: Recommendations:

1.1. Development of resources that focus on Development of resources that focus on understanding the legal and financial understanding the legal and financial aspects of governanceaspects of governance

2.2. Different methods of decision making Different methods of decision making

3.3. Workshops to support personal skills to Workshops to support personal skills to assist involvement assist involvement

““YouthYouth at the at the tabletable”” Report II: “Involved or ignored?”Report II: “Involved or ignored?”

1.1. Effective models of decision-makingEffective models of decision-making

2.2. FundingFunding

3.3. Educate and demonstrate the positive Educate and demonstrate the positive impact of youth involvement in impact of youth involvement in governancegovernance

4.4. Training, resources and eventsTraining, resources and events

““YouthYouth at the at the tabletable”” Report III: “A ParticipationReport III: “A Participation

Worker’s view” Worker’s view”

How can an organisation’s culture inspire How can an organisation’s culture inspire or restrict young peoples’ involvement in or restrict young peoples’ involvement in governance?governance?

How can organisations ensure that those How can organisations ensure that those young people don’t burn out?young people don’t burn out?

UK Youth Parliament (UKYP) UK Youth Parliament (UKYP)

%% of Young Women in of Young Women in the UK Youth Parliamentthe UK Youth Parliament

53% female MYP’s

47% male MYP’s

Age range: from 11

to 18 yrs old

Male47% Female

53%

Empowering Young Women as Empowering Young Women as Political Players ...Political Players ...

Development of specific programmes, Development of specific programmes, projects and activities for the benefit of girls projects and activities for the benefit of girls and young women and young women

Youth forums on women’s rightsYouth forums on women’s rights Seminars on civic knowledge and Seminars on civic knowledge and

engagementengagement Communication skillsCommunication skills LeadershipLeadership TeamworkTeamwork

Issues to Consider in Setting up Issues to Consider in Setting up a Youth Councila Youth Council

Who can participate? Who can participate? How do you recruit members ?How do you recruit members ? What should the remit of youth council be?What should the remit of youth council be? How is it envisaged that the YC will How is it envisaged that the YC will

operate? operate? How will its activities be funded?How will its activities be funded? What support will members of the YC What support will members of the YC

need to discharge their responsibilitiesneed to discharge their responsibilities

Issues to Consider in Setting up Issues to Consider in Setting up a Youth Councila Youth Council

Who decides/provides the answers to the Who decides/provides the answers to the above questions?above questions?

Are there any issues we need to take into Are there any issues we need to take into account if we are to answer the above account if we are to answer the above questions in a way that encourages young questions in a way that encourages young women’s participation?women’s participation?

How do we maximise the likelihood of How do we maximise the likelihood of transferring their interest in young politics transferring their interest in young politics to adult politics? to adult politics?

Political socialisation is not something Political socialisation is not something that adults do to adolescents, it is that adults do to adolescents, it is something that youth do themselves. something that youth do themselves.

(Yates and Youniss, 1999) (Yates and Youniss, 1999)