OUR MISSION
The problem: tackling disengagement
It would be easy to think that people have stopped caring about politics and that politics has stopped caring about people. With low voter turnout at elections and politicians finding it harder and harder to engage with the electorate, political trust feels like it is on a downward spiral.
But people do care about having their voices heard, especially on issues that are really important to them. Sometimes they just don’t feel able to join in the conversation and engage with people in power.
Young people in particular may feel disillusioned and uninspired by the process through which decisions are made around them. They may believe they don’t know enough or think that someone else knows better or feel that their voice doesn’t count and their perspective is not important.
7% of young people engage with a politician during their time at school
15% of young people agree with the statement “I trust politicians”
49% of 18–25-year-olds voted in the 2019 general election
Our solution
This isn’t a new challenge. However, we know that part of the solution is to find ways to bring people and politicians together to have meaningful conversations about important issues, where they can learn from each other and share their perspectives. At its best, this is an experience that goes beyond the usual limits of the classroom or town hall, and engages with people in a personal way that makes politics matter.
Here at The Politics Project we specialise in supporting young people and politicians to have powerful conversations that build understanding, trust and relationships and lead to real change in communities. We help teachers, politicians and students get the most out of political contact and leave feeling informed, inspired, and empowered, because we believe that everyone should be able to use their voice and be part of the conversation.