Whether we like it or not, young people are the future.
If you’re a young person reading this, sometimes you’re going to be the one making the calls in your life.
You will want the best things for yourself, for your family, friends and country. But the only way to start is by knowing the systems around you and being an active volunteer.
Parents, if you’re reading this and have kids that are still not at the age to participate fully, then there are a few things you can do to start their political education.
No, this does not have to be a carrot and stick style approach, you can actually make them enjoy politics, which we will return to later.
But before that, let’s explore the basics first.
Why is politics important?
Simply by having a thorough understanding of politics, you get to learn about the world and what’s going on around you. Once you have a good knowledge of this, you have the free will to talk about politics and become involved in conversations surrounding it. Also, knowing politics allows you to understand your boundaries within and outside the law. It can also help you make informed decisions and choices.Why is it important for young people?
A youth poll was conducted by Harvard Kennedy School, which looked at young people’s view of the USA towards the future. They found that in 2021 56% of young Americans have high hopes for their future in America.While 56% is a significant amount, it’s still not enough, and there’s a lot of people lacking from this. If you’re in the other half who’s not hopeful, it’s important you know politics and are involved in it so you can play your part to turn it into a reality. But to do this, you really need to know why it’s so important for you to do so. Being involved in politics allows you to:
1. Know what’s important to you
Have you been raised in a far left, right or liberal family? Whatever political stance you’ve grown up around, it’s ok to stray away from others around you. Sometimes people only stick to certain views or parties because it’s what they know from childhood. Being active in politics allows you to understand the bigger picture and helps you to make informed choices that are beneficial to you.
2. It allows adults to respect the younger generation
Sometimes in political elections or in big events, there’s usually a generational divide between adults and children. Sometimes there are adults who have fixated views on certain aspects of politics and are not open to listening to those from the younger ones.
Whereas the younger ones are open to understanding but want to share their views with grown ups as well. However, if more young people are actively involved in politics then it’s more likely adults will have to listen to their views and stop pigeon holing them. After all, there’s more of the younger generation on the planet that exist than the older ones!
3. It can help bring about a more democratic society
If young people are involved in politics, they will more than likely be able to contribute to a more just society. The reason being is if you’re a young person who’s involved in politics, you’re more than likely going to influence other young people around you to do so. The more young people who know their rights can overturn the heads of politicians and help them pass bills that benefit young people. As a result, this can lead to a more democratic country and it can cut out a lot of authoritarian policies. This is a key thing to do to stop the USA becoming more polarised.
How can young people become involved in politics?
If you’re a young person and not too sure of where to begin, you can start learning by doing the following:
- Stay updated
- Sign petitions
- Be a poll worker
- Dedicate your time to a cause you stand up for
- Get in touch with your representative
It’s up to you to update yourself with the know-how of global events that are going on around you. Read multiple news sources, learn about what’s happening in your community and have meaningful discussions with others around you.
If you’re not at the age to vote, it does not mean you can’t do anything. You can actively play your part in trying to get bills to be passed by signing petitions and showcasing your voice. There are many websites that do this, like change.org and We the people which are good for you signing your name and address to help put your voice forward.
Being an active volunteer like being a poll worker will help you understand the voting system. It also helps those in politics around you. Typically the role of a poll worker allows you to learn how to check people in for registration, distribute ballots and help keep the center organized.
There are so many organizations and voluntary groups in the USA that do amazing work to fight towards a cause and values. Irrespective of where you stand politically, there are so many great initiatives that can teach you valuable tools and allow you to grow your network to make a change! Similarly, you can start learning the basics of what matters to you. Plus, you could even host events or fundraisers to start getting those in the community involved to help make a change around you.
One of the best ways to be heard is by contacting your local representative. While your voice may not have been heard from the existing representative, you can still make them listen to you. It’s really simple to voice your concerns – you can write a letter, send an email, make a call, tweet or make a petition to get them to hear you. But make sure that you choose one that is the most important to you.