“THE kind of negativity that is in Federal parliament at the moment is enough to turn any political scientist off politics, let alone a young person trying to educate themselves about the process,” says Johnathan Davis, one of the aspiring parliamentarians taking part in the YMCA’s ACT Youth Parliament.

“I would hope that a process like this could encourage a young person.”

This is the first time in 10 years that the YMCA has pulled together a group of young people, aged 15 to 25, to take part in the week-long residential program, from July 9 to 13, where participants will learn how to draft, debate and refute Bills according to parliamentary procedure and forward their debated Bills to the Chief Minister at the end.

As well as speaking on bills in the ACT Legislative Assembly, participants will engage with politicians, policymakers and key players from industry and the union movement at Parliament House, the High Court and the National Library. Visitors will include Dr Richard Denniss, managing director of The Australia Institute; Paul Howes, national secretary of the AWU; Kim Sattler, secretary of UnionsACT; Senators Kate Lundy, John Hogg, and Gary Humphries; local MHRs Andrew Leigh and Gai Brodtmann and MLAs including Shane Rattenbury, Joy Burch, and Alistair Coe.

According to YMCA’s Jessica Adelan, the Youth Parliament is run as closely to the real thing. This included, as part of a training day in May, an election to find a government, opposition, crossbench, including leaders, deputy leaders and whips. However, the parliament is not party aligned.

“The whole reason why I entered this debate was because I don’t like the fact that young people look at politics with disdain at times and really sometimes, to some extent, disengage,” she said.

“That is because, sometimes, they don’t think their politicians represent them adequately and properly.”

As part of the program, YMCA hopes to work on each young person’s leadership and decision-making skills, team work, public speaking, ability to construct a clearly structured argument and advocacy skills.

However, Jessica said, it won’t be all work, there will be networking events held for the young parliamentarians throughout the week.

The youngest of the group includes 16-year-old Canberra Girls Grammar students Lauren Kalina and Elyssa Francis.

“A lot of kids that are my age, or a little younger as well, also just take the opinion of their parents and I find that very frustrating that they don’t actually understand what they are standing up for or understand the background of why their parents say that,” Lauren said.

“I think that this is a great opportunity to actually fully understand and grasp what people are actually for and what they believe and why they are doing that.”

For Elyssa, she hopes to gain as much knowledge about the parliamentary process as well as getting her opinions out there.

“I am not sure whether I want to go into politics, but I think it is really important to be informed on the issues,” she said.

“You are going to make your own opinion and not someone else’s.”

The YMCA still has some places for the week; more information at ypact.org or email admin@ypact.org

PHOTO: YMCA’s ACT Youth Parliament members Jessica Adelan (24), Johnathan Davis (20), Lauren Kalina (16) and Elyssa Francis (16). Photo by Silas Brown