Dewsbury MP visits young people taking part in national citizen service programme

This is the Foundation’s third NCS ‘wave’ of the summer, with the group spending the previous week on a residential trip to YHA Eyam in the Peak District.

45 young people aged 16 and 17 are involved in this wave, with the second week comprising of workshops and the delivery of their own social action project.

Mr Eastwood took an hour to speak to the group at St. John Fisher Academy about his childhood growing up in Batley and Dewsbury, life as an MP and why it’s important for young people to take an interest in their local area and politics.

There was also time for plenty of questions from the young people, who showed particular interest after further workshops on democracy in the hours leading up to Mark’s visit.

Mr Eastwood said: “I hope they found it interesting! I remember being at school and someone in authority would come and talk to me and I would generally be quite bored, so I hope they enjoyed it.

“The problem we have in this country is that a lot of young people are disenfranchised and think politicians like me, especially Conservatives, come from a privileged background.

“I went to a local comprehensive school, was brought up on a council estate and didn’t get a degree so I hope they can take away the fact they can still become something special.

“NCS provides a valuable service. To get young people here socialising, particularly after we’ve had a pandemic for two years is great and I fully support it.”