Breaking barriers between young people and politics
Yvonne Murphy (Freelance Theatre Director, Creative Producer and Creative Practitioner and Consultant) presented the Democracy Box. The project recruits and trains young people as paid co-creators to creatively retell the story of UK democracy year-round. The Democracy Box aims to bridge the knowledge gap which is currently the key barrier to democratic participation in the UK. Yvonne has co-created 4 Democracy Box prototypes with the young co-creators to tackle the UK democratic deficit.
Public information campaign
This prototype involves creating a public information campaign to communicate the basics of democracy to a wide audience. The campaign's branding and content were designed by young co-creators, ensuring that the information is not only accurate but also engaging for the target audience.
Recognizing the importance of democratic education in schools, a program was developed to teach teachers the essentials of democracy. The goal is to make this knowledge readily available to students, encouraging them to become young co-creators who will retell the story in creative ways.
Talking Shop
Omidaze Productions is trialling The Talking Shop - a cultural and democratic information center - across Wales. This space is a hub for people to learn about democracy and contains The Democracy Box information campaign materials via various mediums such as screens, headphones, and booklets. Young co-creators are also trained to host the space, making it an interactive and engaging environment.
Toolkit for Working with Young Co-Creators
To sustain the initiative's efforts, a toolkit was created to guide individuals and organizations on how to work with young people as co-creators. This toolkit enables others to replicate the model and expand the initiative's reach.
Learnings
The real challenge in addressing the democratic deficit lies in reaching individuals in positions of power, not the youth themselves. Young people are eager to engage in democracy but require guidance and knowledge to do so effectively. Involving young people as paid co-creators not only empowers them but also bridges the knowledge gap, making democracy more accessible. One thing is for sure, young people are not uninterested in politics, they're just not well-informed.
