Young Peoples’ Charter On Saturday 9th November 2013 at the Young People’s Assembly in Liberty Hall, the largest and broadest gathering of young people since the crisis began – for the first time bringing together students, the young unemployed, precarious workers and their representative organisations – started work on a common charter and strategies to get organised and fight back. Facilitated by the We’re Not Leaving campaign, the Young People’s Assembly collectively produced the following: PRECARIOUS WORK & CORPORATE INTERNSHIP CULTURE We Demand: 1.
That companies be barred from displacing current paid workers with internship positions.
2.
That a day’s work should equal a day’s pay – a living wage.
3.
An end to the institutional normalisation of internship culture and the commencement of independent monitoring of internship schemes.
4.
Stability and security in the workplace in terms of hours, income and location.
5. That the concept of “experience” should not replace paid work. MENTAL HEALTH We Demand: 1.
Universal access to free, local and high‐quality public mental health services.
2.
A collective and social approach to the de‐stigmatisation of mental health issues and that positive mental health be promoted in the community, workplace and education system.
3.
Recognition of the impact of precarious work, internship culture, unemployment and poverty on the mental health of young people in Ireland.
YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT & FORCED EMIGRATION We Demand: 1.
That young people who have been forced to emigrate must have the right to vote in elections in Ireland.
2.
An end to the recruitment embargo within the public sector.
3.
The recognition of our status as adults in society.
4.
That our trade unions be recognised and be allowed to collectively bargain on our behalf.
5.
Real job creation from the government instead of token measures.
HOUSING We Demand: 1.
That quality, accessible housing be recognised as a universal social right – free from discrimination based on gender, sexual orientation, age and/or ethnicity – and that this right is guaranteed by the state.
2.
Strong regulation of landlords and developers in order to control housing costs and ensure access to adequate housing.
3.
That the state utilise the existing social‐housing stock, as well as properties belonging to NAMA and the bailed out banks, in the interest of the public.
FEE HIKES & GRANT CUTS We Demand: 1.
A third‐level education system that is truly free at the first point of entry that is funded by a system of progressive taxation.
2.
A grant system be put in place for all stages of further and higher education, which enables access to education for everyone in society and reflects the cost of living.
3.
The recognition of the broader non‐economic benefits of education, as well as the recognition of the economic and social role that the students of today will play in the society of tomorrow.
4.
Solidarity between all student representative bodies and the encouragement of political learning and engagement at all levels of education.
This opening draft will be further developed in the coming weeks and months, but we hope this inclusive charter by and for young people will help us to finally come together in solidarity to organise and fight for an alternative Ireland for young people – for a profoundly different vision of social justice for this society.