Youth Council

See how you can have your say and meet your Youth MPs.

Have your say and join the Youth Council

do you live, work or study in Westminster?
are you aged 11 to 18 (or up to 25 with additional needs)?
want to have your say about things that matter to you?
got any ideas to improve Westminster’s services for your needs?

Join us to:

get involved in decisions that affect you
meet the people who make decisions in Westminster
get your voice heard and have your say

Join the Youth Council as a member by filling in filling in our Youth Council application form.

You can also email Shofa Miah, Westminster Youth Council Strategic Manager, at [email protected].

Remember to spread the word and encourage your peers to register.

What is Westminster Youth Council?

Westminster Youth Council (WYC) is an inclusive and diverse platform for 11 to 18-year-olds (up to 25 with SEND) who live or study in Westminster to come together and discuss issues that are pertinent to them. We represent the youth voice for young people in Westminster, working in partnership with Westminster’s leadership, directorates and networks to deliver on the ambitions set out in the Fairer Westminster Strategy.

Led by the Members of Youth Parliament for Westminster, James Balloqui and Myra Soni, and managed by Youth Council Lead Shofa Miah, the WYC has hybrid weekly meetings on Monday evenings after school. Members join the meetings via MS Teams or in person at Westminster City Hall.

Our Youth MPs represent Westminster's Young People on a National Scale - for instance, attending the annual sitting at the House of Commons.

The WYC has done hugely important work in furthering the objectives of young people in Westminster and amplifying the youth's voice. We receive unique opportunities to attend joint events and conferences, debate significant and topical issues, and network with decision-makers and other young people. It’s a truly wonderful experience.

Our priorities this year are:

the equity, diversity, and inclusion agenda
the climate crisis
youth services
mental health
education

Youth Council Elections 2024

Our Youth Elections for 2024 took place at Marylebone Town Hall on Monday 18 March.

Congratulations to Myra Soni and Harry Minderides who were elected as Westminster’s new Youth MPs.

Hear from them below in our video from the evening on what they aim to tackle as our new Youth MPs and why they decided to join the Youth Council.

Make Your Mark

The UK Youth Parliament's Make Your Mark campaign provides young people with a unique opportunity to let decision makers know the issues they're most affected by. It is the largest national consultation of young people, powered by the British Youth Council (BYC) and supported by local youth councils across Europe.

The ballot gives young people aged 11–18 the chance to have a say on the biggest issues facing them today to make change for their futures.

Young people had the chance to submit their votes by 8 March. Results will be announced by the BYC shortly.

Find out how to Make Your Mark

UK Youth Parliament

As of October 2016, Westminster City Council joined the UK Youth Parliament following a vote from its Youth Council. The decision to join the Youth Parliament means that our current Youth MPs are official Youth Parliament (MYP) members.

Formed in 2000, the Youth Parliament has around 350 members elected to represent the views of young people in their area to government and service providers. Over 500,000 young people vote in the annual elections, which are held in at least 90 per cent of constituencies. It is managed by the British Youth Council.

Members meet regularly to hold debates and plan campaigns at least three times a year locally and twice nationally, including an annual debate within the Chamber of the House of Commons every November.

Those elected for UKYP hold the suffix MYP (Member of the UK Youth Parliament) in their names.