Faiths Forum for London reached 550 under-registered and under-represented Londoners through their project, 98% of whom were Black, Asian or Minority ethnic. As a result of the project:
- 87% of participants surveyed said they had an increased understanding of the different voting systems used in London
- 85% said they were more likely to vote at the next opportunity
The workshops organised by the Youth Forum initiated discussions amongst community groups about local issues and provided practical knowledge about democratic processes. Following this, one group planned a visit to the local council chamber to meet elected representatives and observe the decision-making process in local government.
This project removed barriers to civic engagement by embedding democratic learning into spaces the young people trusted and attended regularly.
“I never really thought about, nor knew I had a right to speak to my local councillors. Now I want to bring up serious concerns around young people are being labelled as anti-social and questioned by neighbours – because we like to meet outside the centre. If there was more youth spaces, we would go elsewhere!" - Al-Khoei Foundation youth group participant
"At our church, we’re often hesitant to talk about politics or the democratic process – it just isn’t something that’s usually brought up. But after taking part in this programme, I felt much more confident. I spoke to members of our church management committee and suggested we do more to raise awareness about political literacy, especially for young people like me. This is the first time I’ve ever felt equipped to start that kind of conversation, and it felt empowering to be taken seriously." - Young participant, church youth group