Green party

Young people - policies in detail

 

  • A doubling of the current investment in young people. This will mean an increase from the current £98 spent per person aged 13–19 per annum on out-of-school services to just under £200. This would come at an estimated cost of £1bn.
  • The creation of 2000 Young People’s Centres (YPCs). Dedicated spaces for young people to meet and be creative. The centres would also offer access to information and specialist support for teenagers in difficulty.
  • The creation of a national lead body to regulate youth clubs and YPCs.
  • A UK-wide Young People’s Executive Council scheme will give representatives aged 11–17 (elected by voters aged 11–18) executive control over a small chunk of their local council’s budget (£25,000), which will be a designated youth fund.
  • Every young person under the age of 18 and in full time education should be entitled to free off-peak bus fares, to encourage public transport habits in young people early on with a view to making this a behaviour for life.
  • Raise the age of criminal responsibility to 14 years old. Reform of the judicial system to create a strong statutory presumption against the imprisonment of young offenders.
  • Fashion industry ban on size 0 models to reduce pressure on girls to conform to an unhealthy and unrealistic ideal.
  • National youth volunteering programme for every young person under the age of 18, fostering intergenerational community cohesion, as well as generating money for the economy.