Youth Assembly Recruitment 2025 Video with The Speaker - written transcript
Youth Assembly Members (YAMs) walk down the stairs in the Great Hall, Parliament Buildings.
A title card reads ‘The Northern Ireland Youth Assembly are looking for new members!’
The Speaker of the Assembly, Edwin Poots, describes the importance of the Youth Assembly during a chat with a YAM in the Speaker’s Office.
The Speaker: Well, it’s important to hear young people’s voices and young people’s views. The young people who are represented on the Youth Assembly won’t have had an opportunity to participate electorally in that they’re not voting age. But we’re still hearing what they have to say.
The Speaker: There’s so many laws that the Youth Assembly have participated in and given their opinions on and that’s something that politicians can give cognizance to. Well, I would encourage young people to give their names in and to come and participate. The feedback that I get from the young people who have participated in it thus far has been hugely positive and a very enjoyable experience and particularly those who have an interest in politics, history and some of the social sciences, etc. There is a real additionality to what you’re doing and you’ll get something more than you’d get in a classroom.
While the Speaker is describing his experience of the Youth Assembly, there is a montage of short video clips showing:
- The Speaker presiding over a meeting of the Youth Assembly in the Assembly Chamber, Parliament Buildings
- YAMs contributing to a debate during a meeting in the Assembly Chamber
- YAMs providing evidence to the Committee for Education
- A Youth Assembly event taking place in the Long Gallery, Parliament Buildings
- Deputy Speaker, John Blair, presiding over a meeting of the Youth Assembly in the Assembly Chamber
- A Youth Assembly event taking place in the Senate Chamber, Parliament Buildings.
At the end of the video a closing card reads ‘Apply now – help shape your future. Visit niyouthassembly.org/recruitment’.