Youth workers could make or break the UK Youth Parliament, according to a review into its effectiveness.
The UKYP was set up to give young people between
11 and 18 the chance to influence national and local government.
While it had achieved "considerable success" during its three-year existence, its future success or failure depended on grass-roots support from youth workers and young people, says the review.
Youth workers give "invaluable support" to UKYP members but the parliament’s weak links with youth organisations are limiting its performance, the review suggests.
According to the report, carried out by the Office for Public Management for the Department for Education and Skills, the UKYP does not live up to the expectations of many of its stakeholders. Its structure was found to be too rigid and formal, limiting its appeal to young people.
Despite having a good ethnic mix, the findings suggest that the UKYP does not include enough people from a wide range of social and educational backgrounds, and members were perceived as middle class and well-educated. Many feel that, as a result, the UKYP "should not claim to represent all young people".
None of the young people who took part in the research had heard of the UKYP, and even once the concept had been explained, few could imagine themselves being involved.
