Two new Members of the Youth Parliament have been elected for Lancaster after a record turnout of votes across the county.
James McCafferty and Emilia Ficorilli were elected as part of a group of seven new young faces who will represent different parts of Lancashire, with James and Emilia serving the area of Lancaster, Fylde and Wyre.
The Youth Parliament elections earlier this month saw a 35.5% voter turnout, with ballots held in high schools and Family Hub & Zones across Lancashire.
James, a student at Ripley St Thomas Sixth Form, told Beyond Radio: ‘’My campaign focused on improving access to mental health support in schools and pushing for more affordable transport for young people, which are issues that I believe strongly resonated with students across the area.
‘’Throughout the campaign, a few students actually told me they were voting not just because they recognised me, but because they genuinely supported the issues I was campaigning on. I believe this plated a key role in the result.
‘’I am committed to using this role to deliver real change for young people in the area, and I hope that I can collaborate with local councillors and MPs.’’
Emilia said: "I really like what youth council does and what it stands for. The more time I've spent in Lancashire Youth Council and Fylde District Youth Council, I've grown to see how much it helps the community.
‘’I want youth to have a voice."
The Youth Parliament is a non‑party‑political body which enables 11–18‑year‑olds to represent the views and priorities of young people at both regional and national levels.
Established in 1999, it is independent of the UK Parliament, although it does have an annual meeting in the House of Commons Chamber and parliamentary staff have helped Members of Youth Parliament (MYPs) in committee work in the past.
Run by the National Youth Agency (NYA), a charity that works with a wide range of public, private and voluntary sector organisations, since May 2024, it funded by a grant from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
On the ground in Lancashire, Members of the Youth Parliament (MYPs) are often drawn from the Lancashire Youth Council (LYC), a local, grassroots organisation linking direct young people to local Lancashire issues and national policymaking.
The Lancashire Youth Council is part of the council's Children and Family Wellbeing Service, which aims to prioritise the voices and experiences of children and young people with the council and beyond, and has 12 distinct youth councils aimed at representing young people’s voice across Lancashire.
It all means that young people who are elected as Members of Youth Parliament or Deputy MYP’s get to represent Lancashire and make sure that the county's young people can have a say in the policies and decisions that affect them, now and in the future.
County Councillor Matthew Salter, cabinet member for Education and Skills, said: "It's great to see so many young people engaged in politics and we are really pleased to see such a high turnout, which is better than many ordinary elections.
"We are looking forward to working with the new MYPs and seeing them speak on behalf of the young people of Lancashire."
Dave Carr, director of Policy, commissioning and Children's Health at Lancashire County Council, said: "I think they have a huge opportunity to shape and influence at a national and local level. They will see debates in parliament, meet the Prime Minister and meet local MPs.
"All of those are just incredible things to help shape at all levels across the county – I just think it's amazing."
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