One of our 3 priorities this year is opportunities for young people, with particular emphasis on the arts, such as drama.

In recent months it has become clear that many young people believe that Poole is somewhat lacking in the opportunities offered to young people and it is apparent that it is becoming increasingly difficult for young people to enjoy the culture of Poole for a number of reasons, the most significant being the cost and the lack of advertising.

For example, the Lighthouse, Poole’s Centre for The Arts, offers a variety of shows and events for all ages including young people; however the majority of tickets cost between £10 and £20 and, as a result, experiencing some of these shows and events is simply out of the question for a lot of young people.

Because of this, we decided to make opportunities for young people in Poole one of our priorities for our year in office in the hope that we can make young people more aware of what is available to them.

Especially as there are many discounts available to us, the youth of the borough, to enjoy events such as theatre productions as places such as the Lighthouse hold a wide variety of exciting and entertaining events and shows which young people should be able to enjoy.

Furthermore, we are also hoping to hold an event next summer during which young people can showcase their talents to an audience, as well as find out about and experience a variety of different activities and opportunities which are on offer to them in Poole.

This month we have also been doing lots of work on UK Youth Parliament’s National Campaign: A Curriculum for Life which fights for a Youth Led Review of PSHE education and a radical overhaul of the current Curriculum which we currently feel fails us.

The new curriculum would include: Political education, Sex and Relationships education (SRE), Cultural awareness, Community cohesion/unity, Finance skills, Sustainable living and a Citizenship Education.

So far we have collected over 450 signatures on the petition and we are in the process of writing to a number of local and national MPs urging them to support the campaign.

Additionally, the Head teacher of Parkstone Grammar School, Tracy Harris, has signed the Curriculum for Life pledge demonstrating her commitment to teach a curriculum that will prepare Parkstone’s students for life.

As always we’d really like to hear your views on our priorities and campaigns and would appreciate any suggestions or thoughts. Keep up-to-date on our progress and get in contact with us by liking our Facebook page or by following us on Twitter

We look forward to updating you next month!

Francesca Reed and Jess Elms