Giving Young People a Voice: Our Submission on Votes at 16

By Serena Kelly

As the UK edges closer to the prospect of votes at 16, one question becomes impossible to ignore: are young people actually being prepared to participate in our democracy?

I Have a Voice (IHAV) is a social enterprise working with young people who are under-represented in politics, including those from low‑income households, racially minoritised groups and young people with disabilities. Through political literacy programmes, peer‑education initiatives and youth‑led social action, we see every day both the power of democratic education in schools and the gaps that remain.

Our 2023 survey of 124 young people found that only about 1 in 5 felt school had equipped them with the tools and knowledge to be politically literate. Among state school students, 65% disagreed that they had been given these tools, compared with 25% of students in private schools – a clear sign of unequal provision.

This pattern is echoed in wider research. Dr James Weinberg’s 2020 study found that just 29% of students received regular, whole lessons in politics or citizenship education, with stronger provision concentrated in more affluent and fee‑paying schools. At the same time, the Electoral Commission’s Young Voices on Democracy 2025 report shows that 72% of young people think most of their peers actually want to learn more about politics in school.

So there is both a demand and a provision gap.

Young people consistently tell us they want to understand how voting works (including alternative systems), what devolved governments do, what MPs and local councils are responsible for, and how to critically evaluate information. They are not asking to be told what to think. They want tools to navigate democracy confidently and independently.

Peer‑led education has been one of the most effective ways we’ve found to meet this need. Through programmes such as our Voter Ambassador scheme, we train young people to co‑create resources and facilitate sessions for their peers. In a recent project with the Electoral Commission:

• 87% of participants said they knew more about registering to vote and elections after a peer‑led workshop.

• 89% said they now plan to vote as soon as they can and feel more confident about fact‑checking and finding reliable information.

Participants tell us that learning from someone their own age makes politics feel more relatable and less intimidating. It helps normalise the idea that not only can young people participate, but they should. However, this kind of work only thrives when schools provide supportive staff, protected time in the timetable and clear structures.

Overall, our evidence suggests that democratic education works best when it is sustained, youth‑led and embedded in a school’s culture. To prepare all young people for votes at 16, we recommend that schools:

• Treat political education as a core entitlement, not an occasional add‑on.

• Create recognised student roles (for example, Democracy or Voter Ambassadors) with training, time and staff support to run activities on voting, rights and social action throughout the year.

• Model democratic practice in everyday school life, through meaningful student voice structures and, where possible, student representation in governance.

Young people are clear: they want to understand how democracy works and how to influence decisions. With the right support and expectations, schools can play a central role in ensuring that, by the time voting at 16 is introduced, young people feel informed, empowered and ready to take part in democratic life.

Click here to read our full submission.