LEARNERS at Coleg Cambria didn’t just attend political hustings ahead of the Senedd Elections on May 7 – they ran them.
In a pair of events held at the college’s Wrexham Yale and Deeside sites, students chaired debates, set the agenda and put candidates from political parties directly on the spot.
Representatives from each party provided introductions, all equal in length of time to ensure fairness, before taking questions from the floor.
Student chairs led the programme following dedicated training in facilitation and neutrality from The Politics Project, a national non-partisan organisation with a mission to support young people to engage meaningfully with politics and democratic life.
Learners from a wide range of subject areas took part, attending alongside Progress Coaches and other key support colleagues from across the College.
The questions they raised – covering the issues that matter most to them, including public transport and fuel prices, the cost of living, social care, the environment, jobs and apprenticeships, NHS waiting lists, and preservation of the Welsh language – gave candidates direct and unfiltered insight into the perspectives of young voters in north east Wales.
Alice Churm, Cambria’s Fairness and Belonging Lead, said: “Putting students in the driving seat of these events gave them a powerful, real-world experience of democracy in action.
“They weren’t just listening, they were leading, questioning and engaging directly with candidates on the issues that matter to them. It’s an invaluable opportunity to build confidence and develop the skills needed to participate in public life.”
Dr Beti Thomas, Programme Manager at The Politics Project, added: “The Politics Project’s ‘Host a Hustings Cymru’ programme – funded by the Welsh Government’s Democratic Engagement Grant – supports schools and colleges across Wales to organise and take part in youth-led hustings events ahead of the Senedd Election.
“These events have been a brilliant reminder of how important it is for young people to be given the opportunity to ask questions, voice their opinions, and engage in meaningful dialogue with candidates in the lead up to the Senedd election. We were so impressed by the hustings’ chairs, who we had the pleasure of supporting through our chair training workshop.
“It has been great to work with the staff at Coleg Cambria, supporting them to put together an event that puts young people, and their questions, views and concerns, front and centre.”
The hustings form part of Coleg Cambria’s wider and ongoing commitment to encouraging democratic engagement among its learners. That includes an active push to promote voter registration, with the college working to ensure that eligible students are ready to make their voices heard on May 7.
