Young people’s sense of disengagement and disempowerment in society should be reversed by stepping up civic education in schools and reducing the voting age to 16 for all elections in England, according to a new report by IPPR which calls for four big 'learning gaps’ in English schools to be addressed.
While young people are deeply concerned about social challenges such as climate change, their faith in democratic politics is lower than any other age group and they are also more likely than others to be sympathetic towards authoritarian rule.
This is part of a vicious circle in which young people aged 18-24 are less likely to vote than their older peers, resulting in politicians skewing policies towards the interest of older voters. This in turn leaves young people feeling further disenfranchised, the report says.
The report also calls for wider changes to the school system – which it argues is currently “out of kilter”, with too much focus on academic attainment - to ensure all young people can unlock their potential, get on in work and participate fully in society. These include reforms to examinations, teacher training, Ofsted and support for young people struggling with mental ill-health.
