Conwy’s Youth Council and Conwy County Borough Council’s Elections team hosted a visit from a group of students from Tahoe Expedition Academy in California yesterday (22 March) at the Council's offices in Conwy. The American students are in the UK as part of a study trip learning about the influence of history and culture on youth voter turnout and comparing turnout in the United States and United Kingdom.
The seven students aged between 16 and 18 were welcomed by Conwy County Borough Council Chief Executive, Iwan Davies. The event was also attended by Ceri Morgan Outreach and Youth Engagement Officer from the National Assembly for Wales who talked about the Welsh Parliament and the recent proposal for a Youth Parliament in Wales.
The students then had a question and answer session and a wide ranging debate with 12 members of the Youth Council exploring the subject of voting rights for young people in Wales and what influences young people to vote.
Cllr Anne McCaffrey, Conwy Council’s Cabinet Member for Democracy, Law and Modernisation, said: “It was great to see Democracy discussed in our Chamber by students who have travelled over 5,000 miles to learn about how democracy works in the UK. Conwy’s Youth Council did a fantastic job in hosting the event. Students were particularly interested in plans to introduce a Youth Parliament for young people in Wales, and the proposal to allow 16 years olds to vote in local elections.”
Jason McCay-Moran, high school senior at the Tahoe Expedition Academy said, “Our class is creating a semester long study comparing and contrasting youth voter turnout in the United States and United Kingdom. Our meeting with the Conwy Youth Council was absolutely inspiring and educational.”
Joshua Cleverley from the Conwy Youth Council added: “It was a great opportunity to meet people from different cultures, and to inform each other on the differences in how both of our countries do politics and democracy.”
