March 2026
Welcome to your March newsletter! From Welcome to Your Vote Week to important discussions on young driver safety and committee projects, our Members have kicked off spring with real momentum. Read on to find out more…
Welcome to Your Vote Week
During Welcome to Your Vote Week 2026, we were proud to support this year’s theme, Why Voting Matters, which encouraged young people to explore the real world impact their vote can have on everyday life. Members took part in a range of engaging events and workshops, including an online session with the Electoral Commission and two in-person events delivered by the Electoral Commission and Northern Ireland Youth Forum (NIYF) in Derry/Londonderry and Belfast.
Both sessions explored the week’s central theme, with the Belfast event also marking International Women’s Day. This session highlighted the importance of empowering women in democracy and featured inspiring contributions from Northern Ireland Screen, Women’s Spaces and 50:50 NI. We are grateful to the Electoral Commission and the Northern Ireland Youth Forum for including our Members and to everyone involved for inspiring and supporting them throughout the week.
Youth Assembly Members attend NIYF Welcome to Your Vote Week event in Derry/Londonderry, 6 March 2026.
Youth Assembly Members attend NIYF Welcome to Your Vote Week event at NI Youth Forum Headquarters, Belfast, 9 March 2026.
Rights and Equality Committee, Parliament Buildings, 28 February 2026.
New Rules for Young Drivers
Members met with the Clerk to the Committee for Infrastructure online on 11 March to discuss the new Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL).
GDL is a phased approach to driver licensing designed to improve road safety for new drivers, particularly young drivers aged 17-23 who are disproportionately represented in fatal road traffic collisions. It introduces a supervised mandatory minimum learning period of 6 months, completion of a log book, and limits on night-time driving and passenger numbers.
Members gave evidence to the Committee on 25 March.
You can watch their evidence session and read their report here: https://niyouthassembly.org/assembly-committee-work/
Youth Assembly Members pictured with Members of the Committee for Infrastructure, Parliament Buildings, 25 March 2026.
Youth Assembly Committees
Youth Assembly committees met on 28 February for a Committee Planning Day to discuss the next step for their committees. They chose to focus on the following:
Health Committee: Understanding social media addiction in young people
Education Committee: How much does it really cost to go to school in NI?
Rights & Equality Committee: Do young people feel safe, respected, and listened to in their interactions with the police?
The next steps will be to speak with experts and ask young people for their views.
Want a behind‑the‑scenes look at our Committee Planning Day? Head to our social media pages and watch Youth Assembly Member Áine’s “Day in the Life” as part of the Education Committee!
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/DWOgVGfjRvP/?
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/northernirelandyouthassembly/
Coming Up
Our Members will be taking a well deserved break over Easter after a busy few months, with plenty more exciting activity to look forward to in the months ahead.
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