↓ How can I partner with the Welsh Youth Parliament?

↓ Who is eligible to vote or run in the elections?

↓ What are the responsibilities of a Welsh Youth Parliament partner?

↓ What kind of support is provided?

↓ What costs or resources are covered?

↓ What time commitment is expected from a Welsh Youth Parliament Member?

↓ What criteria must I meet to become a partner?

↓ How do I apply to become a partner?

↓ What is the timetable for the application and election process?

Giving 60 Welsh Youth Parliament Members between the ages of 11 and 17 years old an opportunity to make themselves heard at a national level.

It will enable them to raise awareness of, and debate the issues important to young people in Wales.

20 of the 60 Welsh Youth Parliament Members will be elected by partner organisations to ensure the representation of diverse groups of young people.

This is your opportunity to become an official Welsh Youth Parliament partner!

40 of which will be elected First Past the Post, through an electronic voting system in each of the 40 electoral constituencies in Wales. 20 will be elected by official Welsh Youth Parliament partner organisations to ensure the representation of diverse groups of young people.

Any young person that lives, or receives their education in Wales, and is aged between 11 up to 17 on the final day of the Welsh Youth Parliament election (the 25 November 2024), will be able to stand as a candidate for one of the 40 constituency seats. The remaining 20 Welsh Youth Parliament Members will be elected by official Welsh Youth Parliament partner organisations. At least 10 organisations will be selected following an application process and each organisation will elect young people who are eligible to stand as Welsh Youth Parliament Members The second Welsh Youth Parliament term saw 18 partner organisations selected.

Organisations applying to become official Welsh Youth Parliament partners will be expected to elect between 1 - 3 Welsh Youth Parliament Members, and be able to provide a reserve if Welsh Youth Parliament Members elected by the organisation do not last the full length of the term.

Those young people who are eligible to stand at the Welsh Youth Parliament election are able to stand as a candidate for one of the 40 constituency seats, and as one of the young people elected by an official Welsh Youth Parliament partner organisation at the same time. If a young person gains the most amount of votes for one of the 40 constituency seats, and is the preferred candidate elected by an official Welsh Youth Parliament partner organisation, the choice will lie with the young person as to which seat they choose to occupy, and which is relinquished. The relinquished seat will either be allocated to the young person who obtained the second highest number of votes in that constituency, or to the official Welsh Youth Parliament partner organisation who will then elect another young person.

All 60 Welsh Youth Parliament Members will have equal status with the same role and responsibilities, participating in a range of activities including meetings and engagement events across four local areas (North Wales, Mid Wales, South East Wales and South West Wales) to facilitate opportunities for young people to engage directly with Welsh Youth Parliament Members. Up to three residential meetings will also take place in Cardiff Bay during the two year term as well as online opportunities for Welsh Youth Parliament Members to meet, discuss and progress their work virtually using Microsoft Teams or Zoom.

More detail regarding the application process and the criteria set is provided later. Our hope is that every Welsh Youth Parliament Member is elected as a result of an election process. We would request that official Welsh Youth Parliament partner organisations electing Welsh Youth Parliament Members do so following an election process (the model for election is at the discretion of the official Welsh Youth Parliament partner organisation, and may involve internal elections where the organisation’s membership votes on a preferred candidate). We intend on publishing the results of the Welsh Youth Parliament election on our website.

• Provide the young people that you work with an opportunity to become Welsh Youth Parliament Members. Make the necessary arrangements to elect between 1 – 3 young people who are eligible to become Welsh Youth Parliament Members to the Welsh Youth Parliament. This process should be completed by the 18 November 2024.
• Help promote the Welsh Youth Parliament election and encourage young people within your organisation to register to vote.
• Help provide the young person(s) you elect with opportunities to:
  • Work with the Welsh Youth Parliament, Welsh Youth Parliament Members, and other young people across Wales
  • Access a range of training, and develop skills and experiences that will benefit them in later life
• Provide advice and guidance to the young person(s) you’ve elected to be a Welsh Youth Parliament Member including preparation for events and meetings, including practical support and guidance to take part in online meetings of the Welsh Youth Parliament.
• Help promote Welsh Youth Parliament activity including consultations and events on the subjects chosen by Welsh Youth Parliament Members.
• Help ensure that Welsh Youth Parliament is represented by diverse groups of young people.
• Attend meetings and events when needed, including monthly partner organisation meetings
• Support the Welsh Youth Parliament Members you elect to engage and involve other young people in their work, particularly young people within your organisation.
• Provide advice to Senedd staff regarding the best ways to support specific needs of their members.
• Make a commitment to be an official Welsh Youth Parliament partner for the duration of the two year Welsh Youth Parliament term, even if the young person elected to the role no longer accesses the services of the partner organisation.
• Successful applicants will be required to complete and return the Partner Organisation Agreement, and the Welsh Youth Parliament Members the partner organisation elect would be required to agree and sign the Welsh Youth Parliament’s Code of Conduct.

• Ensure the Welsh Youth Parliament is open and transparent.
• Provide guidance, robust governance structures and a code of conduct for Welsh Youth Parliament Members to follow.
• Provide training, induction, guidance and support to help Welsh Youth Parliament Members excel in their role.
• Arrange regional meetings for Welsh Youth Parliament Members to get together and make decisions and receive training.
• Arrange regional engagement events for Welsh Youth Parliament Members to engage directly with other young people. Arrange meetings of all 60 Welsh Youth Parliament Members in the Senedd, Cardiff Bay.
• Arrange safe, online opportunities for Welsh Youth Parliament Members to meet, discuss and progress their work virtually using Microsoft Teams or Zoom.
• Provide materials for Welsh Youth Parliament Members to help them prepare for upcoming meetings and events.
• Make arrangements for residentials.
• Arrange options that young people can utilise to travel to and from official Welsh Youth Parliament activity.
• Arrange relevant accessibility support needed by Welsh Youth Parliament Members to participate.
• Provide access to dedicated youth professional mentors, and ensure there are appropriate welfare procedures in place (i.e. MIND Cymru, Stonewall, NSPCC).

• Reasonable travel, accommodation, and subsistence costs for Welsh Youth Parliament Members and staff from partner organisations, associated with attending official Welsh Youth Parliament activity.
• Official training provided to Welsh Youth Parliament Members.
• Venue hire, catering, and accessibility support where required.
• Resources to hold regular regional meetings for Welsh Youth Parliament Members, local events to engage with other young people and residential meetings of all 60 Welsh Youth Parliament Members.

Official Welsh Youth Parliament activities consist of:

Meetings of all 60 Welsh Youth Parliament Members. All 60 Welsh Youth Parliament Members will meet as a whole group in Cardiff three times during the two-year term. The first residential meeting will be held in February 2025.

Regional events and meetings, where local Welsh Youth Parliament Members will work with each other and with other young people in the area. The dates for these regional events and meetings will be agreed with Welsh Youth Parliament Members.

Online meetings, where Welsh Youth Parliament Members can meet in different groups to discuss their work. The work pattern will be agreed by Welsh Youth Parliament Members once key issues and work programme options have been agreed.

Organisations wanting to become an official Welsh Youth Parliament partner will need to complete the partner organisation application form, and each application will be considered against set criteria.

Please note that organisations will still be considered even if they are unable to evidence every single criteria listed below.

Criteria

To be considered for becoming a Welsh Youth Parliament partner organisation you will need to be able to evidence:

1. The young people your organisation regularly works with, and would elect to the Welsh Youth Parliament in relation to protected characteristics in the Equality Act 2010.
   
   Or, the young people your organisation works with, and are most likely to elect, in relation to those who face barriers to participation because of their status or personal circumstances.
   
   Examples of barriers to participation could include, but are not limited to: young people with an experience of care, experience of the criminal justice system, or from lower income families.
2. Your organisation’s previous experience in supporting and engaging young people.
3. How your organisation would support a Welsh Youth Parliament Member through this process.
4. Your organisation’s ability to run an election to elect your Welsh Youth Parliament Member(s).
5. Your organisation’s ability to elect Welsh Youth Parliament Members from parts of Wales.
6. How your organisation complies with relevant legislation in working with young people – in respect of public liability insurance, GDPR, etc.
7. How your organisation effectively safeguards children and young people. Including compliance with relevant legislation and guidance, staff code of conduct, effective management of concerns, complaints, whistleblowing and allegations relating to child protection, DBS requirements and a commitment to working effectively with the Welsh Youth Parliament to share all relevant safeguarding information.
8. How many young people your organisation would be looking to elect as Welsh Youth Parliament Members and support through this process.
9. How your organisation would enable the participation of young people from a wide range of circumstances, including those with no previous experience of being a representative for youth participation.

Please note that organisations will still be considered even if they are unable to fulfil/evidence every single criteria listed.

The information applicants provide will be considered and weighed against other applicants. Partner organisations will be chosen on the basis of providing the Senedd Commission the confidence that the 20 young people elected by official Welsh Youth Parliament partner organisations will be effectively supported, and be diverse in terms of their geography, age and background.

Applicants should answer each criteria and send their applications via our online application form by 12.00 on 24 June 2024.

Get in touch with any questions you have on hello@youthparliament.wales

27 May 2024
Application process opens

24 June 2024
Deadline for applications

July 2024
Bidding organisations informed on result of application process following sift. Agreement sent to successful organisations to complete.

July 2024
Official partner organisations for the third Welsh Youth Parliament term announced publicly.

July - November 2024
Organisations to speak with its membership and arrange elections for Welsh Youth Parliament Members by 18 November 2024.

December 2024
Member announcement

January 2025
Start of Welsh Youth Parliament term.

March 2024
End of Welsh Youth Parliament term.

Those organisations who are successful in their application to become an official Welsh Youth Parliament partner, will be expected to do so for one term lasting two years, and the selection process would start again at the beginning of each new term.

The announcement of all 60 successful Welsh Youth Parliament Members will take place in December 2024. The term will start January 2025 and end in March 2027, which includes a 6 month break between December 2025 – May 2026 to allow for preparations for the Senedd Election in May 2026.

If you would like any further information or clarity on any aspect of becoming a partner organisation, please contact us at hello@youthparliament.wales.