What are civic roles and how do I get involved?

Layla Sibanda, Youth Leads

Let’s break down the barriers and put young people at the forefront of decision-making and change.

golden scales on a white desk next to a laptop

In today’s day and age, it seems like many things need to be changed and improved in our world. Our climate crisis, cost of living battles, and wars have us yearning for change to come, but sometimes it does seem so far away. But, what if I was to tell you that you can do something. Even on a local level, you can do something. This is where civic roles come in; they enable our voices, as young people, to be heard and make decisions as leaders towards a better future. So, what are civic roles exactly? Well, Youth Leads UK defines it as jobs that people do to help run a community. From making sure we feel safe in our neighbourhoods, judging a local school’s curriculum and making sure funding is being used appropriately within different sectors, civic roles are more critical than ever.

What are Civic Roles?

Civic roles can range from being a trustee, who is a decision-maker in charities and ensures the vision of the charity is maintained, to being part of a neighbourhood safety panel that bridges the gap between the police and local communities, with no qualifications or age requirements. How amazing is that! Additionally, school governors ensure that educational spaces meet high standards and actively support pupils and staff through curriculum development and funding allocations. With that also comes NHS trust governors, who have a similar role of holding directors accountable and influencing future service planning, and councillors, who are representatives in towns and cities and champion relevant issues in their area. There are so many ways you can get involved! However, there are some barriers to these roles, such as the age requirement for being a magistrate, governor, or councillor at 18, and the long-term time commitment, including meetings and training, which can be challenging to balance with school or work. Now that you have a feel for what civic roles are and what you can do, let’s take a deeper look at a role and why you should get involved!

Magistrates, what are they?

Magistrates are like the superheroes of our community! Magistrates are volunteer judges who hear a wide range of cases and decide verdicts on a local scale, providing valuable insight into their community and being proactive in shaping the public for the better. It sounds like an intimidating role, but they provide you with plenty of support through training and even a mentor to help you understand the role more. And, with only 5% below the age of 40, it’s clear we need more young, diverse people in the magistrate seat, providing unique perspectives and understanding, especially on the people they represent.

Why should young people get involved?

For young people, understanding these roles is super important because it helps you see how our government works and why it’s essential to follow the rules. Learning about these roles can inspire you to become a magistrate yourself or any civic role you want, making a real difference in your community and your leadership skills. By understanding the impact of these roles, you can appreciate the importance of community and see the change you want to make.

It is not necessarily a bad assumption to think that positions of decision-making are usually held by older, experienced people who have been in the role for years. Then again, only 1% of all school governors in England are under the age of 30, according to the National Governance Association, so there is some truth to this. But what makes us think that we are inexperienced, just because we are young? We have the experience, drive, invigorating ideas and potential to make decisions about us, finally for us. And with getting involved with projects like Youth Leads’ Civic Steering Group and Young Citizens, you can drive your community towards a positive change and a better future on your timeline. You can volunteer an hour, a day, a week or even more of your time to develop your skills as a community leader and an empowered member of society.

What is Youth Leads?

Youth Leads is a programme set up for young people across the country to help them turn ideas into action, and make real and positive changes in their community and wider. It teaches you essential and transferable life skills as well as meet with like minded people. Sessions are 2 hours one day a week, check out the Youth Leads UK website to learn more about the programme and the different ways to get involved, and your closest sessions to attend.