everyday social democracy

You might think that things couldn't get any worse after finding out politicians claiming to represent us are using taxpayers' money to build houses for ducks rather than homes for people and a government preferring to attack each other than attack the recession. With Big Brother back on our screens, it's like going from one reality show to another.

But in the real world, people are getting sacked, evicted and left on the scrapheap of the recession. And young people are getting hit the hardest, with unemployment rates much higher than other age group in "last to join, first to leave" jobs. These aren't just passing concerns but "permanent scars" even going as far as damaging their physical and mental health.

So rather than choose which sides to take in the political football games going on in Westminster village, isn't it time to stop agonising and start organising? To choose to campaign to fight the recession where we are, whether that's neighbourhoods, our campuses or our workplaces?

You may have set up an online group because you were getting ripped off. You may have invited people to a campaign session so people can live better off. You may have written to your MP to support the campaign you care about the most. You may have pitched up your tent to prevent the world turning to toast.

You may have stayed at a shelter to help the homeless. You may have gone down the beach to clean up the mess. You may have taken part in a flashmob to show people how exploitation of young people at work just isn't right. You may have marched through the streets to reclaim the night.

You may have been a street captain spreading hope not hate, you may have interviewed the wild and wonderful to instigate debate. You may have got into a bath of baked beans to raise money for comic relief...Or you may not have got involved with any of these.

Whether you've been involved in organizing before or not, you're might be curious about how to campaign and who knows even fired up about an issue you'd like to campaign on. There is no right or wrong way on how to turn an issue you care about into a campaign - just look at the examples above and you can see all the different and exciting ways people have gone about it.

So just imagine if you could bring together people who are campaigning in their communities, people that are getting their voice heard in the media and those using new and creative tools to put this in action.

Just imagine if you could work with each other to develop exciting ways to campaign, finding out how others are organising and creating the spaces where activists with different skills involved in different groups can affect real change together.

We have all been to conferences where most of the time the only way we have ever got input into our events is over a drink down the pub. Don't get me wrong, I'm still keen on having those sideline chats at the end of the bar, but there are probably other ways which are just as exciting.

That's why we've joined up with TUC Young Members and Toynbee Hall to launch a weekend to fight back against the recession. On Saturday 20th June, you'll be able to get together into groups to discuss what impacts the recession is having on young people and what the Government should be doing in response. You'll then be able to put forward ideas on how we might more effectively organise and campaign for the rights of young people in and out of work.

On Sunday 21st June, we'll share grassroots stories from local campaigners, get together with facilitators so you can develop your skills on new campaigning techniques. You'll be able to get involved with other young people in trying these out to create new campaigns together to fight the recession. We want the workshops to be driven as much by the people taking part as the speakers facilitating, as much by the intensity of developing a campaign in such a short space of time as the excitement of activists with such a diversity of experiences - working together to tackle issues which matter to you.

We do want to produce something at the end of the day however and although it will be intense, ultimately you'll have developed a campaign that you can take away together and take forward across your networks.

So let's dive right in, get our hands dirty and start campaigns - let's help people create change for themselves, from the grassroots up.

It's time to take back our future, it's time for you to take back your communities.

Noël Hatch, National Chair, Compass Youth

To take part and find out more about our activities next weekend, please go to www.compassyouth.org or contact noel.hatch1@gmail.com

After the amazing success of our workshop with Progressive London where you told us what you wanted to improve young people's lives in London, we know want to tell you about an exciting activity where you can put together creative campaigns for London, as we always listen out to the pulse of the Compass Youth membership. As Laurie Penny says

"We may not have the kind of arts you want us to have, but this generation is creating more art, more music, writing, performance and brilliant new ideas than ever before, most of it cooked up with pirated equipment in the privacy of our own bedrooms and disseminated over the internet....We are creating. What most of us want now is a chance to combine creativity with real social progress, a chance to turn our imaginative brilliance to dreaming up a new world for ourselves, where our arts and our ideals have real relevance."

This is why we are working with Toynbee Hall in their "Creative Campaigns Day" taking place on Monday 6th April.

Aged 16-25? Your chance to get vocal about issues that you care about!

Create a campaign in either film, music, theatre, photography or spoken word with the help of industry professionals.

Explore future campaigning opportunities with organisations. Perform your campaigns in an evening showcase.

To find out more or register send an email to ffiona.rowland@toynbeehall.org.uk or call Ffiona on 07828 696 759.

Compass Youth will be exhibiting its campaigns so come and join us and Toynbee Hall's Active Citizenship programme!

"It is projects like “Pin The Pits” and projects which Compass Youth seek to actively support and promote that can bring people like us together, each with their own political voice, to listen and to be heard, like with the “Pin The Pits” campaign which united people under one roof, in the very place where to be heard, there is every hope of real change, where politics, expression and opinion have so much power in this country, where dreams can become real and change can become possible."

What will you pledge?

I will take part in the Creative Campaigns Day (contact ffiona.rowland@toynbee.org.uk)

I will showcase my campaign with Compass Youth (contact noel.hatch1@gmail.com)

I will sign up to Compass Youth e-updates to get involved in more of these activities

Here’s the original idea for Useful Visitors that was entered into the Social Innovation Camp call for ideas in November 2008. I had the opportunity to take part in helping develop this idea over the course of the SICamp weekend

Here’s what we developed. We were awarded second prize for which most of the credit goes to Femi!

Democracy at the EU level is stronger than ever before but is far from complete. Citizens feel more at ease with national politics than the European Union. If the EU is the 4th house of our democracy (after the local, regional and national) how can we make it more like a home? At the same time European countries are becoming more diverse with immigration and EU citizens moving from one Member State to another. What should the European Union do to make our societies fully at ease with our new diversity? How can the EU protect and improve the rights of the individual?

At at the first of our PES Manifesto debates "Unity or diversity - What Europe do we want?" we had a fantastic debate.

David Schoibl kicked off by arguing that we need to reflect on the past. Europe turned itself in after the colonial carve up in the 1870s and then with the successive world wars. When Europe has been divided, it has not only failed itself but also the rest of the world. To get rid of this narrow militant nationalism that has torn the continent apart in the past, we couldn't just set up Europe as an abstract concept. We needed to start off with tangible linkages, we needed to build institutions as tools of integration.

The challenges are as complex now with both the mismatch between the economic elites and the reality of the effects of globalisation on the one hand and the different speed of European integration (Eurozone, Schengen, etc) on the other. He advised that we therefore also need to work out how we can collectively solve the issues of globalisation in a tangible way. This includes giving up vetoes so we can take on together vested interests. He also advised that regional devolution has helped Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland better engage with the EU. In the relative merits of PR and single list to elect MEPs, he remarked that the "green agenda" shows proportional representation is effective in raising emerging issues. For example, the Green Party's rise in votes had a virtuous impact in raising awareness of this issue to the social democratic parties and Die Link has a similar impact on how the SPD is discussing its social policy.

He proposes greater

• Power for the European Parliament
• Use of the citizen's rights of initiatives
• European perspective of history
• Integration of the EU in lessons and education
• Rights for EU citizens
• Regional governments consult people living in their regions on European consultations already taking place.

Local voices, European accountability

Giving local government a direct line into Europe

He then discussed how to connect the EU with local democracy. Europe has an essential role to play in local areas. The EU is often seen by local authorities as either a "problem solver" (such as through structural funding), a "stage" (such as through profile-raising, notably European Cities of Culture), a "threat" (liberalisation of services challenges traditions of local public provision), an "alternative" (to escape the hierarchy of its own national political system), a "duty" (implementation of EU regulations).

While local government used to focus its minds on cohesion funding, that is now naturally going to the poorer eastern European member states. The other 80% of funding available is managed by Whitehall through quangos and agencies. Regional offices do represent local authorities in Brussels and one participant mentioned that they are a top priority for MEPS whose region they lead. But how do we use regional power and how can we educate local authorities to use these offices more? The political balance of control has also meant there are more councillors who are Eurosceptic and so less likley to engage the Commitee of the Region or MEPs.

Indeed, the Commitee of Regions is a quango in itself whose board members are nominated by national governments. As they are not elected, they are only accountable to central government and not local government. With the Reform Treaty, it does still remain an advisory body but can now refer to the Court of Justice for violations of the principle of subsidiarity (that each decision should be taken at the lowest appropriate level). In essence, this could make it the "guardian of the rights and responsibilities of local government and an advocate for the wider development of power to local authorities".

Its board members should be Leaders of Councils elected by local councillors from all of the administrative regions at the same time as European elections
Transformed into a second chamber to the European Parliament, so as to become a co-decider and made responsible for leading on legislation directly relevant to local government

Local and regional governments should also use the citizens' right of initiative and work together across borders to collect signatures of common interest and concern

Reconnecting citizens to MEPs

There is also insufficient contact between MEPs and their local authorities, except through specific events or through local government associations. The fact the European Parliament is based in two cities doesn't help either. However, as it is directly elected and with the increased powers through the Lisbon Treaty (co-legislator on most areas of EU policy, new powers of supervision over exercise of delegated legislative powers by the European Commission), it should be the EU institution that is the most accessible to local authorities. The regional list for the European Parliament is obscure and ultimately determined by the party nationally and reduces local accountability. He proposes:

• Single member constituencies should be reintroduced to reconnect citizens to individual MEPS
• MEPs should be elected through the Supplementary Vote (SV) system or the Alternative Vote (AV system)
• Hold a single annual joint session of the European Parliament making use both "hemicycles" in Strasbourg

He concluded that Europe is happening on our doorstep. We need to tackle disadvantage and need to address the issues. Let's make Europe more local, let's win hearts and minds.

Emma Jones, Haringey councillor and Labour candidate for the European Parliament

She advised that Europe could learn from community engagement initiatives. Emma proposed that we should

• support the citizens' initiative (one million petitioners) by providing a structure for it. e.g. epetitions (as currently happens in the UK) and good publicity in a way that actively empowers people.
• improve the public consultations for European initiatives which currently don't seem to exist
• introduce European Citizen's Juries for citizens from different countries to debate issues
• create a European Youth Parliament but also a European Older People's Parliament
• make it statutory for all countries to elect proportionally by STV, so the electorate can choose their candidates for the European Parliament
• create pots of small EU funding that local communities can decide how its spent (like Haringey's Making the Difference, with budgets of £50000 per local area)
  

She also proposed that the PES could work out how to mentor people like herself who are candidates for the European Parliament for the very first time.

Another participant advised that there was a risk of sub-dividing representative democracy and that the best citizen's jury is the European Parliament. David Shoare proposed in this area that the EU should expand its local involvement initiatives like the programme he is involved in Bristol. See a more detailed proposal here.

Managing new migration

Matthew Clifton from NLGN observed there had been a lot of muddled thinking around the issues of migration recently. From talk of losing non-doms to that of excessive numbers of foreigners living here via talk of imposing a sense of Britishness, all seems like a proxy worry about migration. However, with a policy of globalising markets and liberalising employment, the new migration has been a political choice for the last three decades, and coupled with cheap travel and international communication, this has caused a social and economic transformation. This means that we also need to ensure that no community is left behind and so all areas need to improve their NEET (not in education, employment or training) targets.

He advised that immigration isn't a problem, but not being ready for migration is. Government has got to catch up. Evidence shows that the correlation doesn't exist between the pressures on the labour market and the influx of immigrants. When asked about the growing language barriers in multicultural communities, he said that in schools, migration is a massive boon, developing multicultural skills for our children and lifelong learners. However, there is still a lack of accurate information in tracking the movement of migrants which in turn distorts the funding allocation given on the basis of outdated population data.

He proposes that we

• Review the fundamental data requirements for the public realm, including considering whether the census procedure still serves its original purpose
• Introduce the local development of entitlement cards, as a stronger starting point for the trial of local population registers
• Work towards wider UK recognition of qualifications from across the EU as this would help migrant workers from the newer EU member states to find suitable employment and reduce the risk of displacement for young local starters at the lower end of the market.

Proposed greater cooperation on international crime, such as fingerprinting and a criminal record bureau. The UK is against integration on this and one participant argued that the concept of "red lines" makes it more difficult to sell Europe even on these tangible issues.

Constitution

A participant proposed a five page Constitution written in a language that everyone understands and that everyone can agree on. There was lively debate about what therefore would be excluded from the current Constitution if it was to be only five pages long, especially concerning citizens rights, although the five pages could be used to summarise the Constitution or feature our common values.

The Constitution brought together different treaties which was meant to make more sense but complicated things and the Reform Treaty is even less legible. It was argued that this Treaty is what Europe deserves, given how national governments had not wanted or been able to work together across Europe to make it more relevant to its citizens.

Common values

Discussing the potential paradox of unity and diversity, one participant proposed there should be a European debate on where our values emanated from - the Enlightenment, religion, regions - and what we defined respect and justice. Another participant put forward that our shared values are the product of our history and as such could be embodied around the "never again" ethos, that we should make it impossible for the worst excesses of Europe's past to become possible again. Another participant also proposed that those common values are also about the future and therefore the socialisation of Europeans was essential to make the EU forward looking and progressive. But should we be teaching them what's right or wrong, or should we let them discover what these values might be?

Europe's relationship with other cultures: assimilation or integration?

Unlike with the EU, there is no political union with the Commonwealth, so the UK's relationship with the EU doesn't hinder its relations with the Commonwealth countries.

As to a question on whether the Muslim population of Europe should assimilate to the European culture or vice versa, a participant proposed that neither Europe nor the Muslim community are homogenous, so it would be unfair to treat either as a single body. Problems not just in Europe around issues of religion, minority identity politics and political battles are going on elsewhere in the world such as in the US with the fundamentalist Christain right. There is a need to find common ground in a reasonable way that brings everyone together.

Practical approaches to running similar programmes to Erasmus

To improve diversity, it was suggested we could find some practical approaches to running similar programmes to the student exchange Erasmus. People proposed

• Teaching/exchanging ideas and languages
• expand funds for common apprenticeships and exchanges for older people
• establish a European charter for internships
  

At Compass Youth, we were very involved in campaigning in the London elections. Everyone talked about how "it was the doughnut strategy wot won it" for Boris, in other words targetting the outer suburbs. We thought we go even further and reach out to Reading, where there's a resurgence going on. Meet Ruth, Chair of Reading University Labour Club.

Do you want to share your experience of being involved in campaigning, your thoughts on an issue that matters to you? Get in touch at noel.hatch1@gmail.com

Why did you get involved in Reading University Labour Club?

I’ve been involved in local politics my whole life and when I went to university I was keen to take this further and become active in Reading. I feel that it is very important to be active in the community, to take an interest in what’s going on around you.

Why did you want to set it up?

When I found that Reading didn’t have a Labour Club I felt very strongly that it was worth trying to set one up. Walking around the Freshers’ Fayre in my first year I saw the Conservative Club and Liberal Democrat Club and felt that there must other students who, like me, didn’t have their political views represented in the University.

How did you become Chair?

I only really became chair of the club by default. Throughout my first and second years at Reading there was just not enough interest for a Labour Club, but luckily our stall at the Freshers’ Fayre in my third year drew a number of interested people. I was determined to keep these people together, to not let them lose interest; particularly so that once I was gone there would be a strong core of young students who wanted to continue with the club. I had a lot of support from Martin Salter, MP for Reading West, his constituency staff, and local councillors and activists. I hope I’ve brought together some students who are passionate about democracy and social justice and want to see the club grow further.

What are your responsibilities as chair?

As the club is only just beginning I needed to make sure I kept its members together – made sure they didn’t lose interest.

"One member had always been interested in political issues, but had never made an allegiance to a particular party. I wanted to show him exactly why the Labour Party was worth campaigning for and what we could achieve."

I organised a trip to the Houses of Parliament and coordinated with the local party for the club to attend dinners with Harriet Harman and Hilary Benn.

How do you help young people get better involved in what you do?

I think a lot of this is about awareness.

"Anyone can tell you that political involvement is decreasing amongst young people and apathy has never been more popular.One of the main reasons for this is that people, particularly students and young people, are just not aware of what is going on in their communities. It is not that they don’t want to be involved, they just need the time taken to show them why local politics is important – and also that it’s not as boring as they think!"

By organising high profile events at a university, we can show them that getting involved is not as onerous as they think, and actually take up issues that they are probably already passionate about and just don’t know what they can do to fight their corner. Student politics can give them a forum to develop this.

What in your daily life makes you feel the most reassured or optimistic about your future?

This is probably my political involvement, locally and nationally. I find myself always campaigning for one thing or the other and I really enjoy it.

"When I see what is happening around me, what is happening around all of us, there are so many people fighting for things to be better, so many people who have made things better. No matter what I do when I (finally) grow up, I know that people, including myself, as working hard to make this a more fair and equal society. "

My future, and the future of young people around me, looks very very bright.

What gives you hope for the community you live in?

The people in the community give me hope. I live in a very small village in my home town and we’ve recently started a Greening Campaign to do our part in the fight against climate change. When it all began I was amazed at the interest people showed and there are now plans underway for our first stage of action. The campaign involved all different kinds of people and is not a political campaign at all.

"It’s about our community, started by our community, and it’s a sign of a community that wants to get involved and can see an area where it can make a difference and is determined to do so."

What would you change to improve the quality of everyday life of yourself, your friends/family and your neighbourhood?

I would really like to bring back some play areas for young children into my village. There used to be an area for this by a recreation ground, and later a basketball hoop was added. Unfortunately vandalism and other factors have meant that they have had to be removed. It is sad and there is now nowhere to take young children to play.

What does being "born free and equal" mean to you?

To me this is just a fact. We are all born free and equal - it’s a shame that it even needs to be said, to be campaigned for. But unfortunately not everyone is in favour of equality and many people are not treated as if they are free and equal.

What is your first political memory?

I can thank my parents for this. When I was just able to walk they sent me out to deliver leaflets in our village. I couldn’t even read the longer words on them.

Who's your role model?

I’m going to have to go with the cliché answer of my parents, I’m afraid. I’ve been incredibly lucky in the opportunities they’ve given me and politically I seem to have followed in their footsteps. I owe them a lot and look up to them both enormously.

What's your favourite activity outside of politics?

Just the usual, really – spending time with friends and family, generally behaving like a student. I’m a big football fan, as well, so I like to get to as many games as I can each season.

What is the issue or campaign that matters most to you?

"It’s hard to pick out just one, there is a myriad of campaigns that are worth fighting for – some winnable and some not, but all still worth fighting for. I think social justice, an issue which I believe the Labour Party still has at its heart, is a crucial fight, both domestically and worldwide. We have still not done enough to bring equality into the most deprived areas of the country."

What would you recommend to people who would be keen to start up their labour club?

Get a stall at your Freshers’ Fayre. This is the optimum time to recruit potential members and it’s very easy to book a stall – just contact you Students’ Union. Try to have something to offer on the day – a drinks event with a local MP or councillor, or a trip to Westminster (though the latter will need arranging a while in advance). If there is a Labour MP nearby make sure to contact them – they can give you lots of support and will almost certainly be keen to see a Labour Club at their local university.

Most students have gone through freshers week looking round the different stalls, signing up to student societies from "stich and bitch" to "rag", but how many of you have been round freshers fair not to find a labour club. Where do you go to meet other progressives? I met Paul Riley, chair of UCL Labour who was in that same position when he started at university. Here he shares his experiences of starting up a labour club, planting trees and much much more! Do you want to share your experience of being involved in campaigning, your thoughts on an issue that matters to you? Get in touch at noel.hatch1@gmail.com

Why did you get involved in UCL Labour? UCL Labour didn't exist before, or at least recently. I was really keen to get the club going again and spoke to friends who were keen to get involved. We also went to see Queen Marys' Labour Club to find out what you need to do to get it going.

Why did you want to become Chair? I believe in social democratic ideals and wanted to make a difference. I also wanted to address the incredible lack of balance that there was no labour club at the university, but a huge conservative student society.

How did you become Chair? I became Chair through setting up and pulling people together.




We needed to affiliated the club to the student union of UCL, but when we finally agree to go for it on the Wednesday, we realised the application form to affiliate needed to be in by the same Friday...and we needed 20 members to sign up, which we managed in the space of 48 hours!



Having officialised our existence, I set up the Facebook group and contacted Camden Labour, who were really helpful and we got together with them to go out for drinks but also help later on for the London elections to re-elect Ken.

What did it feel like getting elected?

I was pretty relieved and very pleased to be able to properly take issues on.

What are your responsibilities as Chair?

I am responsible for directing where we want to go, chairing meetings and providing an overview of what's going on and who's doing what. I also ensure we respect health & safety and other regulations and generally being accountable to the student union as the first point of contact.

What activities & campaigns have you developed?

I was preoccupied with election campaigns which we only established in the second half of term. We produced a leaflet for students at UCL which was supported by Camden Labour. In return, we went knocking on doors with them and in student halls. We also organised a pub crawl called "Vote Ken again" to combine the social and electoral aspect of supporting Ken Livingstone. During the year, we organise meetings every week.

How do you help young people/students get better involved in what you do?

We were really inspired by an article by Ken Livingstone about building a progressive alliance, so we organised a cross-student society cooperation. All the groups that took part were pretty much on the same side and so we wanted to build up better collaboration, such as running joint events, so we could mobilise members together and be more involved within the student union.

We are keen to be open minded and not be entrenched. We said, let's just sit down and talk. We might look at certain things from different perspectives, but it's very simple just to talk and work things out.

What in your daily life makes you feel the most reassured or optimistic about your future?

Being in London is a pretty amazing place to live. Everything happens here. It is dynamically politically and culturally - you feel you're at the centre of things.

It might sound a bit cheesy but people give you hope, people you speak to on the street. You think, yes, they really want to make a difference.

What three things would you change to improve the quality of everyday life of yourself, your friends/family and your neighbourhood?

Paul struggles to work out how he could change his own quality of life, but jumps up when I ask him how he could make a difference to the lives of his friends, family and neighbourhood. To think our generation only think of themselves! For students, I would scrap frees and get free education. For London, I would make all public transport free. For my friends and family, I would plant more trees.

What does being "born free and equal" mean to you?

Everyone should fundamentally be free, equality is the foundation for everything. It's about introducing civil partnerships, the minimum wage, legislating for equal pay. The key thing for me to take it further is progressive taxation. It's pretty concerning that the gap is widening between the rich and poor. A lot of people feel this gap is gross. If I was rolling in the money, I would share it out.

What is your first political memory?

Question Time.

Who's your role model?

In a way, somebody like Tony Benn. He's got the style to remain calm but at the same time an amazing power in how we puts across his message.

What's your favourite activity outside of youth/student politics?

Cinema, music, gigs. My favourite films are "Of Montreal", "Beyrouth" and "The Lives of Others". What is the issue or campaign that matters most to you?

The "living wage" and "affordable housing" are the issues that really matter to me.

What would you recommend to people who would be keen to be involved in a student society?

Start a student club up, it's not difficult - I did it! If you've got the ideas, the vision of where you want to go and what you want to achieve, just do it, challenge the debate. I hadn't been a member of an executive before, so if you've got the passion and the ideas, why not?

At Compass Youth, we are keen to listen to you to find out what issues really matter. We have also been asking our members the issues that matter to them and activities that excited them. Given that the top issues that mattered to our members were equality, international relations & citizenship/integration, we have focused our events on these themes. Given that the top skills members were interested in were writing articles/guides, campaigning and lobbying politicians we are developing activities around these. You can still tell us the issues that matter to you here.

We wanted to take a step back and get you to tell your stories of youth activism. It makes perfect sense that I interviewed Lorin Bell Cross, who has been at the forefront of championing our latest campaign - Votes for 16. Some snigger that the only way they would support votes at 16 when half a million 15- to 17-year-olds march on parliament demanding it. With activists like Lorin leading the charge, don't bet against that not happening.

Do you want to share your experience of being involved in campaigning, your thoughts on an issue that matters to you? Get in touch at noel.hatch1@gmail.com

Why did you get involved in your local branch?

After Jon Cruddas’ deputy leadership campaign got me interested in the Labour party I thought it would be interesting to attend the local branch meetings and help out with local campaigns. These include the election of Rushanara Ali in Bethnal Green and Bow and stopping George Galloway in Poplar and Limehouse

Why did you want to become youth delegate?

After I was offered the position I thought it would be good to give a different prospective on the political events at the GC. I think I can make positive contributions to the discussions at the GC on issues which effect many young people today such as Crime and Drugs/Binge drinking abuse and offer a different set of ideas to the older GC members

How did you become youth delegate?

I was the youngest active member in my branch and was asked whether I was interested and I agreed.

What are your responsibilities as youth delegate?

Branch youth delegate does not have any substantial responsibilities, simply to take part in the local campaigns and attend GC and branch meetings.

What activities & campaigns have you developed?

Outside of the Labour Party I arranged a speech from Peter Facey at my school.

How do you help young people/students get better involved in what you do?

At school I raise contemporary political issues or problems and debate or discuss them with friends.

What in your daily life makes you feel the most reassured or optimistic about your future?

I feel I am making good use of my education and will therefore be able to get into a good university and achieve a successful career in politics which I desire.

What gives you hope for the community you live in?

I can see that though some people are going through tough times at the moment, they are far more affluent than 10 years ago, and that hopefully the Olympics will help regenerate some of the most deprived areas in London.

What would you change to improve the quality of everyday life of yourself, your friends/family and your neighbourhood?

I don’t really feel there is a need to improve anything in my life or those of my family and friends, we all have what we need. To improve my neighbourhood I think perhaps more funding for youth facilities are necessary to keep kids and teenagers out of gangs. Furthermore, prevent the segregation of the white and non-white groups in the neighbourhood.

What does being "born free and equal" mean to you?

When people are given equal opportunities to achieve a successful career and life which they desire, regardless of their gender, colour, background or accent.

What is your first political memory?

Handing out Charter 88 leaflets with my father when I was about 4-5.

Who's your role model?

Clement Atlee and Dennis Healey.

What's your favourite activity outside of politics?

Rugby and reading.

What is the issue or campaign that matters most to you?

Education and affordable housing.

At Compass Youth, we strongly believe in the power of transnational action and have developed even stronger relationships with progressive soulmates across Europe. This is why we launched the "manifesto consultation" to keep the social democratic movement in touch with the most creative, dynamic and innovative thinking, but also build mutual understanding between activists across Europe and with our own communities.

I met David Shoare at the first debate of our PES manifesto series. The topic was the PES manifesto and democracy and diversity and there was a lot of discussion about democracy in Europe and how we can make it much closer to the people, and more relevant to them. He suggested one of the ways we can do this is by giving the people concerned more of a say in how EU initiatives, particularly regional and social ones, are conducted and where the money goes.

Do you want to share your experience of being involved in campaigning, your thoughts on an issue that matters to you? Get in touch at noel.hatch1@gmail.com

Why did you get involved in the South Bristol Urban 2 Programme?

Well my involvement with the programme started out via an unfortunately now defunct local youth forum called the Knowle West youth forum, right at the start of it the Programme they (in the form of Bristol City Council, the Government and the European Commission running the programme) wanted to involve various groups in developing and running it, and they took the rather innovative decision of involving young people in it! I suppose I liked the idea of being part of it as we were really making a difference to the area, and the attitude of those running it with us was unique in that our opinions were really being valued.

What activities & campaigns have you developed?

All of the management of the Programme and approval of projects was done by a panel called the Urban Partnership Group, of which, including myself, had people, and young people of course, from many organisations and agencies operating in South Bristol. We took applications from all kinds of organisations for all kinds of projects, and our job was to approve or reject applications for funding (the total budget for the programme was around £12 million) based on measures that we had a role in formulating- one on education, employment and training, one on tackling crime and drugs, one on improving the environment and one called “Getting Together” which was all about getting young people involved in the community and empowering them. I was also chair of the panel for two years, so I was making sure that meetings were running along smoothly (even having to tell civil servants to be quiet and let someone else speak on occasions!!) and also be a representative for the Programme at different events. One of my most nerve-racking points was doing a presentation, at the European Parliament building in Brussels, to several local MEPs!

How do you help young people/students get better involved in what you do?

In helping young people get better involved we’ve done many things, including setting people up with mentors to ease them into the formal environment of meetings, red cards to put up if any jargon was used (and this happened a lot!) and generally making some of the paperwork as simple to understand as possible. One of the young people on the Partnership Group even designed a map with the location of all the projects, with each one assigned a playing card (king of hearts etc) so the vast number of projects were easier to organise!

What in your daily life makes you feel the most reassured or optimistic about your future?

Well, one of the projects the Programme helped fund was the building of a purpose-built media centre called the Knowle West Media Centre. It’s a wonderful building- state of the art equipment to do things with, environmentally friendly (the largest straw bale panel construction in Europe) and the best part, all designed with the help of a group of young people, although I was only able to be there at the start of it, who saw it right through from choosing the architects to construction. A lot of people, including myself, lobbied to get it built (the organisation itself used to operate entirely out of an old prefabricated doctor’s surgery) and it’s amazing to think it’s there. Every time I go there I think, yeah, we did that, and we can do much more.

What would you change to improve the quality of everyday life of yourself, your friends/family and your neighbourhood?

Better public transport- if you speak to any Bristolian and mention buses they will almost universally tell you that we have the worst service in England: expensive, poor punctuality and poor vehicles, so much so that when I go to other cities the thing I always notice first is how much better their transport services are! If we improve public transport, and additionally solve our congestion problem, then Bristol could get moving much faster.

More long term funding for community projects- the one thing I encountered during the running of the Urban 2 Programme that worried me was the sort of funding regime that many organisations are in. Always for the relative short term, and having to constantly look over their shoulders at where the next pot of money is coming from. In order to build relationships and work towards the goal of a better community I do think that long term support is needed to properly achieve that, and this has not really been offered by current funding regimes.

I wasn’t going to moan about the student finance system but I am! Although I think the current system is by all means not the worst place to be, what it has done is often made people think of how much value for money their course is and taking more part time work rather than just living the typical student life as it were. Even living at home I struggle making ends meet as a student and a system that better recognises the support students need to get good degrees at the end of them would be very welcome.

What does being "born free and equal" mean to you?

Being “born free and equal” to me means having a world where we are free to follow our own ambitions and desires and have the support if we need it- where we are equal in terms of opportunity, quality of life and the power to change things.

What is your first political memory?

If I were to think way, way back I always remember that my primary school was turned into a polling station on election days, and sometimes my mother took me down there when she went to the polling booth. I also distinctly remember that once I even wrote a story in class about a man going around asking people to vote for them. Sounds incredibly corny but I assure you it’s true!!

Who's your role model?

Jon Snow. One of the few people on TV who knows how to get awkward answers out of awkward politicians, and still project it in a clear, concise manner.

What's your favourite activity outside of youth/student politics?

I do like going to gigs when I can. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing Radiohead and the Foo Fighters already this year and hope to go to more.

What is the issue or campaign that matters most to you?

Electoral reform. I think we could do with an electoral system that better represents the feelings of the electorate, and also I feel we need to do much more to get people involved and voting in elections in the first place.

What would you recommend to people who would be keen to be involved in programmes like South Bristol Urban 2 Programme?

What would I recommend to people who want to get involved in things like Urban 2: The only way you can make things happen in your community is by being vocal and sending a clear message out that these are the sorts of things you want happening in your community. We were very, very lucky that the Council, Government and EU took a chance on the programme in South Bristol by involving young people directly in the process but who’s to say it can’t happen again? Get lobbying and maybe we will see more community programmes like it!

Amisha Ghadiali is a social entrepreneur of the exciting independent jewellery label "Amisha" and on the national executive of Compass Youth. Many of us may have heard people talk about social enterprise and wondered what they meant. I've never been good with definitions, so read on and I hope you'll be as inspired as I've been interviewing Amisha.

Why and how did you get involved in social enterprise?

I guess there's a personal and a social element. I was working in politics and international development, when I had an accident and was very ill for a while. It was during this time that I realised I wanted to do something creative and energise positivity. The reason for setting up the label was a platform for campaignining.
"Only some people are involved in campaigning and debates. I wanted to get more types of people excited and activated. I was interested in the idea that people form identities around consumerism rather than around politics."

Everybody is involved in consumerism, so I felt that was an interesting channel to try. It was this interest that led me to get involved in Compass, as Neal Lawson was writing a book on the same subject (All Consuming, watch this space for book launch).

Just thought I'd plug a friends's "boutique launch party"! As winter falls upon us, Amisha Jewellery has a few treats to offer. The new online boutique is now live. To celebrate this and get us in the mood for the festive season, we are going to party in style at Soho House on November 24th.

If you would like to join us, please send full names to more@amisha.co.uk and you will be added to the guestlist. We would also like to offer you a special 15% discount for the online boutique. To take advantage of this, please type in dicount code "REFASHION" in checkout at www.amisha.co.uk. This code will be vaild until The RE:Fashion Awards on November 13th.

Like Compass Youth with their Love Difference mini-festivals, Desirs d'Avenir are mixing up the culture and the politics with La Fraternite. I worked with them while in France and am really happy that despite the cacophony of the factions, they are reaching out to the real musicians! For more about this participative network check out this article.