WEBVTT

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Well, the conference is as a result of our
national conversation over the last six months,

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asking young people in Wales whether they
thought the voting age should be lowered to

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16. We had 10,300 responses – huge numbers
– and this conference is the result of that.

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Over 53 per cent said they would like to be
able to vote, 29 per cent said ‘no’, and

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19 per cent said they weren’t sure. But,
what was interesting in the results was over

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70 per cent said they needed more information,
more education in schools, so that is one

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avenue that we will definitely be pursuing.
But, in the Assembly here this morning, there’s

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a buzz with all these young people. Absolutely
fantastic.

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So, the question was asked to our Bwrdd Syr
Ifanc, which is the youth council for the

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Urdd, in a meeting around December, if we
wanted the vote or not. We thought it was

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very positive that we we’re asked our opinion
if we wanted it or not, and the fact that

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our voice came into play and that they’re
taking more attention and paying more attention

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to young people and our voices, and it was
very positive to see everybody’s reaction

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to it. It’s very important that we have
our voice heard here and that our voice plays

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the largest part in consultations, because
if we don’t want it there’s no point giving

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it to us. The fact that there’s so many
young people, and that it’s so positive,

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and that the Assembly wants to hear from us
and they’re taking into play what we say

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is very important and there’s a very positive
atmosphere around it.

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The conference is great, it’s just a way
we can get young people’s opinions heard

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on the issue of votes at 16 and I think that’s
the most important part. It’s fundamental

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that young people are involved in the whole
process, whether or not they should have the

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right to vote. It’s common sense, really,
that they should be involved in something

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that includes and is about them. So, it’s
a good opportunity for voices to be heard

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by important people. Personally, I think it
should be, however not until political education

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is improved within schools and until it’s
made compulsory across the board, because

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I think there’s a real shortage of quality
political education that’s compulsory in

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all schools.