With just one week to go until polling day, YMCA Milton Keynes is urging younger people to make their voice heard in this year’s General Election by voting on June 8.
The number of younger people voting in General Elections has been on a steady decline since 1992. It dropped to a low point in 2005 when only 38% of younger people voted and although it climbed back to 43% in 2015 this is well below the average of 66% recorded from the mid-1960s to 1992.
“The focus of political debate has often been around issues affecting older people: pensions, Winter Fuel Allowance, free bus passes and the like”, said Simon Green, Chief Executive of YMCA Milton Keynes. “In part this may be down to the fact that close to 80% of people over the age of 65 vote in General Elections. If younger people voted in these numbers, perhaps the issues of most concern to them would feature higher on the political agenda”.
YMCA Milton Keynes delivered the YMCA 2017 manifesto to all eleven candidates standing for the two MK constituencies, bringing their attention to the range of issues highlighted by young people during consultations.
The YMCA manifesto contains over 40 recommendations relating to secure and affordable housing; education, training and employment; health and wellbeing that are designed to enable young people to contribute and thrive in the communities in which they live.
“Of particular concern to YMCA Milton Keynes is the issue of affordable housing for young people. We know from the 1,000 people who approached us for help last year that housing options are too limited for young people in Milton Keynes today. We were able to help 350 of these young people but more needs to be done and young people need their voice to be heard on this issue”, said Simon Green
“We are doing what we can to improve the situation including plans to develop a new YMCA, with accommodation for 40 more people, and talking to the Council, Housing Associations and private landlords about the options for secure and affordable follow-on housing for our residents – and some progress is being made. But we also need the right support from Government if we are to succeed.
“There was a surge in the numbers of younger people registering to vote before the deadline on May 22 – now we need to encourage those people to get out and vote on June 8”, he concluded.
