Lionel - Thurrock's Member of Youth Parliament

How old are you?

Hi, I’m Lionel and I’m 14 years old

How long have you been a youth cabinet member for?

I’ve been part of Thurrock Youth Cabinet for 2 years now

How did you find out about Thurrock Youth Cabinet?

I first learnt about Thurrock Youth Cabinet a couple of years ago in my primary school when the Major visited. The Major discussed the Youth Cabinet’s work with the young people and I was inspired to join – as soon as I was old enough I applied and now here I am 😊

Why did you join the youth cabinet?

I wanted to join Thurrock Youth Cabinet to create change and ensure the voice of young people in Thurrock is listened to that’s important to me.

What is your role within the youth cabinet?

I am Thurrock’s Member of Youth Parliament. I was elected to this role in March 2022 for a 2-year term. As part of my role, I work with their MPs, decision-makers, councillors and local youth groups on the issues of greatest concern for young people. I attend British Youth Council conventions and UK Youth Parliament events and debates to represent the youth voice of Thurrock locally and nationally.

I oversee and start projects/campaigns on a locally level to help make changes for young people in Thurrock by working to amplify their views.

What change do you feel passionately about for young people in Thurrock?

Issues I have long been passionate about is drink spiking, substance misuse, sexual health and safety.

Music is also something I have been passionate about sharing with the young people of Thurrock more recently. An issue that has been brought to my attention is around the cost of living, the lack of extracurricular activities and access to music services.

Check out our Youth Music Survey here (add link) – it would be great if you could complete it to help us on our mission to improve music services for young people.

What ways do you think young people could get involved within their community?

Get involved in volunteering in your area, make your voice heard and inactive with the Youth Cabinet on your Have Your Say website (add link).

What do you want to be when you grow up?

My mood board is currently full of medicine, finance, politics and philanthropic work so maybe something along these lines 😊

Youth Cabinet with Helen from Essex Wildlife Trust

This week, Thurrock Youth Cabinet had a guest speaker visit with Helen from Essex Wildlife Trust - Helen spoke to Youth Cabinet about the Nextdoor Nature project and how young people in Thurrock can support nature’s recovery from the biodiversity crisis linked to the current climate emergency.

https://youtu.be/xajBJ01h85U

Your Place, Your Voice

Young people helping to shape the future of Thurrock

Thurrock’s Youth Cabinet are taking an active role in helping to shape the future of the borough by taking part in a series of interactive workshops on the new Local Plan.

When adopted the new Local Plan will set out a vision for what the borough and places within it will look and feel like in the future and contain policies that make sure new developments are built in the right way, in the right place and at the right time. It will also set out policies that protect the things which make our borough special and plan for other things that are needed alongside development making our places more resilient and responsive to the needs of people who live and work there now and in the future.

Members of the Youth Cabinet, who are all aged between 11 and 18 years-old, have helped make sure that young people have a voice in the future of the borough that they will live in. Raising issues around things like antisocial behaviour in our centres, the need to make places feel more welcoming and inclusive and thinking about how planning could encourage more empty buildings to brought back into active uses.

Through their workshops members of Youth Cabinet have been able to provide vital feedback and a younger perspective.

Lionel speaking in the House of Commons Thurrock Council’s Youth Cabinet is a group of 11 to 18 year-olds who work to make Thurrock a better place for young people. The Youth Cabinet was set up to give the young people of Thurrock a voice. Youth Cabinet members regularly meet with councillors, council officers and other decision makers to give their views on: youth activities, school curriculum, mental health, plastic pollution, police and community safety, and much more!

Find out more about Thurrock’s Youth Cabinet online, and if you are a young person who lives in Thurrock or goes to school in Thurrock you can contact the team by emailing youthcabinet@thurrock.gov.uk

On Friday 4 November, Lionel Mazithulela, Thurrock Youth Cabinet’s Member of Youth Parliament (pictured above), attended the UK Youth Parliament House of Commons Annual Sitting.

Over 200 young people came together to participate in five topic debate sessions, with one of them being voted as the campaign for Youth Parliament for the next year. This was an amazing opportunity for Lionel to represent Thurrock Youth Cabinet and speak in parliament. The chosen champaign following the event is the cost of living crisis and health. Lionel can be seen in this short clip on the BBC (28 seconds in).

Lionel said: “It was an honour to be able to debate on the iconic green benches in the house of commons, events like this are paramount fire the change members of youth parliament are working towards and are indispensable in amplifying the voice especially in such contemporary issues as that were debated. I am happy to announce the priority campaign is cost of living and health with a vote of majority across MYPS I can assure you My work will remain topical and I will ensure all issues of my constituents are heard, shared and resolved with all the power I have”