Become a Youth Voice Champion
Are you aged 11–18 and living in Northern Ireland?
The Electoral Commission Youth Voice Network which is ran by NI Youth Forum, is looking for new Youth Voice Champions to join the Northern Ireland group.
You don’t need to be an expert in politics or democracy. You might know loads, a little, or nothing at all – that’s completely fine.
The Youth Voice Network is a chance to:
🗣️ Have your say on the work of The Electoral Commission
🗳️ Learn more about democracy, politics, elections and voting
👥 Meet other young people from across Northern Ireland
💡 Help create resources and activities for other young people
🎤 Build your confidence and develop new skills
🏛️ Meet decision-makers and people working in democracy
🛏️ Take part in an annual residential
✨ Get involved in events, visits and other opportunities
The Youth Voice Network has been running in Northern Ireland with NI Youth Forum since 2022, with Youth Voice Champions helping shape Electoral Commission work through consultations, youth-friendly resources, youth-led events and democratic education activities.
Expressions of interest to become a Youth Voice Champion is now open.
Hear from our Youth Voice Champions
Expressions of interest close: Friday, 18th September
Want to know what it’s actually like to be part of the Youth Voice Network?
Hear directly from some of our 2025/26 Youth Voice Champions as they talk about their experiences, what they got involved in and what they enjoyed about being part of the group.
What is the Youth Voice Network?
The Youth Voice Network is a UK-wide programme supported by the Electoral Commission.
NI Youth Forum facilitates the Northern Ireland group, bringing together young people to become Youth Voice Champions.
Youth Voice Champions learn more about democracy, elections and how decisions are made, while also helping The Electoral Commission make its work more relevant and accessible to young people.
This can include:
- taking part in consultations and sharing your views
- giving feedback on Electoral Commission resources
- helping create youth-friendly resources and activities
- planning and taking part in events
- supporting The Electoral Commission’s annual campaign ‘Welcome to Your Vote Week’
- learning more about democracy, government and elections
- meeting people involved in democracy and decision-making
Do I need to know about politics?
No!
You might already be really interested in politics and democracy. You might know a little bit about it. Or you might be thinking:
“I know absolutely nothing about politics.”
All of those are completely fine.
One of the main purposes of the Youth Voice Network is to help you learn more about democracy, voting, elections and how you can get involved.
We want Youth Voice Champions with different experiences and different levels of knowledge.
We are much more interested in your views, your experiences and what you want to learn than how much you already know.
What will I get to do?
Every year will look slightly different depending on what Youth Voice Champions want to explore and what the Electoral Commission is working on.
As a Youth Voice Champion, you could:
🗣️ Have your voice heard
Take part in consultations and discussions on Electoral Commission projects and help make sure young people’s views are considered.
🗳️ Learn about democracy
Explore topics including democracy, politics, elections, voting and how decisions are made.
💡 Create things for other young people
Help develop resources, activities, events and content that make democracy easier for other young people to understand.
Youth Voice Champions have previously helped develop youth-friendly resources and tools for the Electoral Commission.
🎤 Build your confidence and skills
Develop skills including:
- sharing your views
- working as part of a team
- public speaking
- event planning
- decision-making
- communicating with different people
👥 Meet new people
Become part of a group of young people from different parts of Northern Ireland and learn from each other’s experiences.
🏛️ Take part in events and opportunities
There may also be opportunities to attend events, visits, meet decision-makers and get involved in other NI Youth Forum opportunities throughout the year.
Previous Youth Voice Champions have taken part in residentials, visits, youth-led events at Stormont and Belfast City Hall, and democratic engagement activities across Northern Ireland.
Who can become a Youth Voice Champion?
You can express your interest if you:
- are aged 11–18 at the time you apply
- live in Northern Ireland
- are interested in learning more about democracy and having your say
- can commit to the programme dates listed below
You do not need any previous experience of youth groups, politics or democracy.
We want to build a diverse and representative group of young people from across Northern Ireland, including young people of different ages, backgrounds and experiences.
What is the commitment?
Being a Youth Voice Champion is a regular commitment, so please make sure the programme works for you before expressing your interest.
For most of the year, the Youth Voice Network will meet:
📅 Around once a month
🗓️ Mainly on Saturdays
📍 Mainly in Belfast
👥 Sessions will be in person
Between January and March, the group will meet more frequently – usually weekly on an evening – as Youth Voice Champions prepare for Welcome to Your Vote Week.
There will also be an annual residential.
Youth Voice Champions will be expected to attend all of the dates listed below.
Key Programme Dates
🍕 Information & Pizza Session – Belfast
📅 Tuesday 22nd September 2026
🕡 6:30pm–8:00pm
🗣️ First Youth Voice Network Session – Belfast
📅 Saturday 10th October 2026
🕚 11:00am–4:00pm
🏡 Youth Voice Network Residential – Location TBC
📅 Saturday 24th October – Sunday 25th October 2026
Further session dates will be shared in advance. Some session locations may change depending on the activity taking place.
Please make sure you can commit to the programme and the key dates above before submitting an Expression of Interest.
What does it cost?
Nothing — the Youth Voice Network is completely free to take part in.
We will provide:
🚍 Public transport costs
🍕 Food
🛏️ All residential costs
We don’t want the cost of taking part to be a barrier for you.
How do I join?
We have around 10 spaces available for new Youth Voice Champions.
The first step is to complete a short Expression of Interest Form.
Closing date: Friday 18th of September 26
How will places be decided?
If more young people express an interest than we have spaces available, NI Youth Forum will use the information provided to help us create a diverse and representative group of young people from across Northern Ireland.
We may consider things such as:
- age
- where you live
- representation from different parts of Northern Ireland
- rural and urban representation
- different backgrounds and lived experiences
- inclusion of young people who may experience barriers to participation
- having a mix of people with different levels of knowledge or experience of democracy and politics
This is not about who writes the best application or who knows the most about politics.
If you are not offered a Youth Voice Network place this time, there may also be other opportunities to get involved with NI Youth Forum.
Information for parents and guardians
The Youth Voice Network is delivered by NI Youth Forum on behalf of the Electoral Commission.
The programme uses a youth work approach to help young people develop their confidence, knowledge and skills while creating meaningful opportunities for them to influence work that affects young people.
Sessions will take place mainly in person in Belfast, alongside an annual residential and potentially other visits and events.
All programme costs, including the residential, are covered, with public transport costs and food also provided.
If a young person is offered a place, parent/guardian consent will be collected through the NI Youth Forum membership process before they begin participating.
Safeguarding is embedded throughout NI Youth Forum’s delivery, including trained staff, risk assessments and organisational safeguarding procedures.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old do I need to be?
You need to be aged 11–18 when you submit your expression of interest.
Do I need to know about politics?
No!
You can know loads, a little, or nothing at all about politics and democracy.
One reason the Youth Voice Network exists is to give young people opportunities to learn more.
Where will sessions take place?
Most regular sessions will take place in Belfast, although locations may occasionally change depending on the activity.
How often will we meet?
For most of the year, the group will meet around once a month, mainly on Saturdays.
Between January and March, meetings will become more frequent and will usually take place weekly on an evening as the group prepares for Welcome to Your Vote Week.
Do I need to attend every session?
Yes. When you express your interest, we ask you to make sure that you are available for all of the dates listed on this page.
Is there a residential?
Yes.
The programme includes an annual residential, and the full cost of taking part will be covered.
🏡 Youth Voice Network Residential – Location TBC
📅 Saturday 24th October – Sunday 25th October 2026
How long do I need to stay involved?
The Youth Voice Network is a longer-term programme, but we do not expect individual young people to commit for several years.
We know that education, work and other commitments can change over time.
When you join, we ask you to commit to staying involved until April of the following year.
At that point, if you would like to continue as a Youth Voice Champion, you will be more than welcome to stay involved.
What happens if more people apply than there are spaces?
We expect to have around 10 new spaces.
If we receive more expressions of interest than places available, we will select a diverse and representative group using information such as age, location, background and experiences.
It is not a competition to see who knows the most about politics or who writes the best answers.
What happens if I don't get a place?
Unfortunately, we may not be able to offer everyone a place.
If you are not selected this time, there may be other opportunities to get involved with NI Youth Forum.
Do I need permission from a parent or guardian?
If you are under 18 and offered a place, we will ask your parent or guardian to complete the required consent through the NI Youth Forum membership form before you begin the programme.
Have a question?
If you or a parent/guardian would like to ask anything about the Youth Voice Network before expressing an interest, contact:
Arón Hughes
Senior Youth Work Manager
NI Youth Forum
Email: aron.hughes@niyf.org
Phone: 028 9033 1990
