Pupils get involved in politics

Some of the pupils involved in the My Country My Vote project.

Pupils across Kirklees have been learning about democracy by delivering political campaigns in their schools.

Youngsters at Westborough High School in Dewsbury, Upper Batley High School and All Saints Catholic College in Huddersfield were given the opportunity to campaign about a variety of issues to their fellow pupils, as part of the Kirklees Council ‘My Country My Vote’ project.

Students at each school then voted for a winning campaign.

And the winning teams from each school presented their campaigns to other schools and elected representatives at a special celebration event at Dewsbury Town Hall last month.

The campaigns included a bid to get travel fare concessions for young people, plans to bring back school lockers, and a campaign for more youth-orientated businesses.

In a blog about the event, a Kirklees Council spokesman said: “There was a really high standard this year in all of the campaigns and ideally all of them should have won.”

Dewsbury and Mirfield MP Paula Sherriff presented awards to the campaign winners.

And students took part in a question and answer session, grilling her about life as a politician.

The My Country My Vote project is run by Kirklees Council’s Heritage and Education Team.

It aims to teach students about running effective political campaigns.

The project also helps to inform youngsters about the processes of local democracy and encourages them to get involved.