URSPACE: Election Special

PARENTS,CARERS, FRIENDS,WORKERS–FEELFREETOHAVEA LOOKINSIDETHIS

Hello, and welcome to URSPACE!

Thisisaspecialeditionofthe magazine,allabouttheUKGeneral Electiontakingplaceonthe4th July.

Wethinkit’simportantthatyou haveasmuchinformationas possibleabouttheElection,and voting.

Ifyouhaveanyquestionsyoucan speaktoyourworkertodropusa message!

GetinTouch

Therearedifferentwaystogetin touchwithus:

Ifyou’rereadingthemagazineon yourphoneoradifferentdigital deviceyoucanclickheretotellus whatyouthink Tellyourincludemworkerwhat youropinionsare

THE UK GENERAL ELECTION

TheUKisademocracy.Thismeansalmosteveryonewholivesherehasasayinhowthe countryisrun.Wedothatbyvotingforpoliticianswethinkwillmakegooddecisionsabout runningthecountry.

TheUKisdividedinto650areas,calledconstituencies.InScotlandthereare57constituencies. EachconstituencywillhavecandidatesthatwanttobeaMemberofParliament(MP)thatsitsin theHouseofCommonsinWestminster,London.

People(orvotersastheyarecalled)inconstituenciesvotefortheirfavouritecandidateto representtheminParliament.Thisiswhereourlawsaremade.Mostcandidatesrepresenta politicalpartyandeachpartyhasdifferentideasaboutthebestwaytorunthings.

ThepartywiththemostMPswillusuallybeaskedbytheKingtoformagovernmentinhis name,withtheleaderofthatpartybecomingourPrimeMinister.

Byusingyourvoteyoudon’tjustelectyourMP–you haveyoursayaboutwhichpartyyou wanttobeincharge.

Inthiselection,someofthepartiesstandingforyourvoteare:

TheConservative&UnionistParty(leadbythecurrentPrimeMinisterRishiSunak)

TheLabourParty(leadbySirKeirStarmer)

TheScottishNationalParty(leadbytheFirstMinister,JohnSwinneyMSP-whoisn’t standinginthiselectionsowon’tbeournextPrimeMinister).

TheLiberalDemocrats(leadbySirEdDavey)

TheScottishGreens(leadbyPatrickHarvieMSPandLornaSlaterMSP whoaren’tstandinginthiselectionsowon’tbeournewPrimeMinisters).

TheReformParty(leadbyNigelFarage).

TheALBAParty(leadbyAlexSalmond-theformerFirstMinister whoalsoisn’tstandinginthiselection).

Click on the party names to find out more about them!

Clickheretofindout whichconstituency youarein!

USING YOUR VOICE

Although we have our own Scottish Parliament, this parliament doesn’t make all the decisions that affects our lives.

The Scottish Parliament is a devolved parliament working within the powers it has. The rest of these powers lies with the Westminster Parliament in what is called ‘reserve powers’.

These powers include:

Constitutional affairs – decisions on devolution for Scotland, Wales and Northern

Ireland

Defence – the Army, Navy and Air Force

Foreign affairs – relations with other countries and international bodies

Economic policy – some taxes including business tax

Social security – control of reserved benefits: universal credit, tax credits

Immigration

Drug control and classification

Howtouseyourvote

If you are voting in person - or by post - you will receive a ballot paper like our mock one opposite.

If you’re voting in person, you take your ballot paper to one of the available stations and make your vote - in secret. Your decision is between you and the ballot box.

To cast your vote, you put a X in the box next to your preferred candidate (or party). You then drop your folder ballot paper into the black ballot box.

If you’re not sure on what to do - speak to the polling station staff - they’re there to help you!

If you’re voting by post, you do the same process except instead of dropping your ballot into the box, you secure it in the envelope you receive, include the signatory form and drop off in your nearest post box!

In the run up to a General Election, the political parties and their candidates try to get support, and votes. One way they do this is publishing something called Manifesto.

A manifesto is like a list of things the political party wants to do if they form the next government. We have done some research to find out what the parties are promising to do for children and young people.

*RankedinorderofpartysizeintheScottishParliament

The Scottish National Party

We asked the SNP to tell us what they would do for children and young people. Unfortunately, they didn’t respond! What They Told Us They’d Do for YOU:

In their manifesto

Delivering for all

Consider how wider use of free breakfasts and targeted nurture support in schools can help children from deprived areas

Supporting the workforce

Take a zero-tolerance approach to violence, addressing the underlying conditions which have seen children’s needs go unmet

Public Health

Ban the promotion and advertising of vapes and junk food towards children and young people across the UK

Scottish Conservatives

What They Told Us They’d Do for YOU:

Scottish Conservative deputy spokesperson for education Roz McCall MSP said:

"If Scottish Conservative MPs are elected on July 4, they will focus on making sure that Scotland's schools get back the world-class reputation they had before the SNP were in charge.

"Under the SNP, the number of teachers in Scotland has fallen, which has meant that class sizes have got bigger. The Scottish Conservatives will hire more teachers, to reduce classes sizes and give every pupil more one-to-one time with their teachers.

"We will also make sure that young people in Scotland are given a wider range of subjects to choose from and that they are taught important life skills too.

"We're also committed to tackling the epidemic of classroom violence, so that teachers and pupils can feel safe.

"But these changes will only be possible if the Scottish Conservative MP in your area is elected on July 4, rather than an SNP MP who will only focus on independence."

In their manifesto

Childcare expansion

Continue to deliver the expansion of children which will mean families will save an average of £6,900 per year once roll-out is complete

Deliver a Family Hub in every local authority in England

Create more places in children’s homes

Children

Move to a household rather than individual basis for Child Benefit

Protecting children online

Banning mobile phones in the school day on a statutory footing

Introduce National Service for 18 year olds

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Scottish Labour

What They Told Us They’d Do for YOU:

You don’t need us to tell you that things are tough right now for lots of young people in Scotland. From the pandemic, to the cost-of-living crisis, to climate change – it’s not hard to see why many young Scots are worried about the future.

Shockingly, more than one in four children are living in poverty in Scotland. Poverty harms children’s lives, but it can also limit their opportunities for the future.

Opportunities

Scottish Labour believes things can get better. We want to give young people hope for the future, and our manifesto published this week gives more detail on how we will do that.

That starts with giving more opportunities to young people in schools, colleges and careers

We will improve access to music and sport in schools so every child can access the arts and culture, regardless of their background.

Labour’s plans will improve access to apprenticeships and create thousands of green jobs for the future. We will also deliver a pay rise for 40,000 young Scots by removing the discriminatory age bands in the minimum wage.

Mental health

In recent years, child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) have been overwhelmed with demand and too many children and young people have been turned away or left on long waiting lists. Scottish Labour is committed to reforming mental health services to ensure no young person is turned away without support.

We also want children to have access to mental health support in schools.

Young people’s rights

Scottish Labour believes that all young people have a right to have their voice heard and their rights respected.

We are proud to support The Promise, which is a commitment to uphold the rights of care-experienced young people.

For all these reasons and more, this General Election is the chance to vote for change with Labour and give young people hope for the future.

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Scottish Greens

What They Told Us They’d Do for YOU:

We asked the Scottish Greens to tell us what they would do for children and young people. Unfortunately, they didn’t respond!

In their manifesto

Scrap the Two Child Limit which currently means households only get universal credit or child tax credit for up to two children

Extending the right to vote for 16- and 17-yearolds

Scottish Liberal Democrats

What They Told Us They’d Do for YOU:

We asked the Scottish Liberal Democrats to tell us what they would do for children and young people. Unfortunately, they didn’t respond!

In their manifesto

Families, Children and Young People

Protect and support the rights and wellbeing of every child

Incorporate the UNCRC into UK law

Set up an independent advocacy body for children’s safety online

Address the underfunding and neglect of children’s mental health services, youth services and youth justice services

#VoteToTransformLives

Onthe5thJune,welaunchedourveryownminicampaignforthegeneralelection. VoteToTransformLives-orVTTLaswe’vebeencallingithereatincludem’smainofficein Glasgow.

VTTLhastwoaims:

Toencourageasmuchyoungpeopleandfamilieswesupporttoregistertovote.1. Toamplifyyourvoiceacross5keythemes.2.

Thosekeythemesare;Poverty,Children’sRights,Education,MentalHealthandYouthJustice.

Youtellusthatyou’reoftenforgottenaboutornotlistenedtoorhavedecisionsmadeforyou ratherthanwithyou.We’vechallengedcandidatesandpartiestolistentoyouatalltimes,not justwhenanelectionhappens.

IfyoufollowusonInstagramoranyothersocialmediaplatform,youwillhopefullyhaveseen someofourcontent(andevenourvideos)thatarehighlightingourworkandasksunderourkey themes.

Asweapproachthe4thJuly,wewillbeencouragingvoterstothinkaboutYOUandYOURfuture astheymaketheirdecisiononwhoshouldbethenextgovernment.

Wearealsobusyplanningourworkforaftertheelection,makingsureyourvoiceisoneofthe firstyournewMPhearsfromastheytaketheirseatintheHouseofCommonsandwe’llupdate youinthenexteditionofURSPACE.

Inthemeantime,wewanttoknowwhatthemeisimportanttoyou-orifwe’vemissedatheme thatwecanadd.

We’dloveifyoucouldtakepartinourpoll!

Thanks, Martyn & Lisa

includem’sCommunications&PublicAffairsteam (andwannabeepopstars) )

COMPETITIONS

Can you help us and in the process bag yourself a prize? We’ve a number of competitions that you can enter:

Competition 1 closes 28th June 2024

The Butterfly is our mascot for our Transforming Lives C want to see how colourful they truly can be! Ask your worker to give one of our Butterfly templates or design your own whatever you want. Snap a picture and ask your Worker to submit it to comms@includem.co.uk or to their Folder of Gold (they’ll know what we mean!). Throughout June, we will post the Butterflies on our Instagram - the Butterfly with the most likes will bag the artist in residence a £25 gift voucher - if you come in second and third - don’t worry we’ll have a prize for you too!

What should this magazine be called? Do you have a preferred name for it? Let us know via the QR code below! The best name wins a £25 gift voucher!