Students Lead Senedd Election Hustings at Coleg Cambria

Learners at Coleg Cambria took an active role in the democratic process ahead of the Senedd Elections on May 7 by organising and leading a series of political hustings events.

Held at the college’s Wrexham Yale and Deeside campuses, the events saw students chair debates, set the agenda and question candidates representing a range of political parties.

Each party representative delivered an introduction of equal length to ensure fairness, followed by a question-and-answer session with the audience.

Student chairs led the programme after receiving dedicated training in facilitation and neutrality from The Politics Project, a national non-partisan organisation focused on supporting young people to engage with politics and democratic life.

Learners from a variety of subject areas attended the events, accompanied by Progress Coaches and support staff from across the college.

The topics raised by students reflected a broad range of priorities, including public transport and fuel costs, the cost of living, social care, environmental issues, employment and apprenticeships, NHS waiting times, and the Welsh language. These discussions provided candidates with direct insight into the views of young voters in north east Wales.

Alice Churm, Cambria’s Fairness and Belonging Lead, said: “Putting students in the driving seat of these events gave them a powerful, real-world experience of democracy in action.

“They weren’t just listening, they were leading, questioning and engaging directly with candidates on the issues that matter to them. It’s an invaluable opportunity to build confidence and develop the skills needed to participate in public life.”

Dr Beti Thomas, Programme Manager at The Politics Project, added: “The Politics Project’s ‘Host a Hustings Cymru’ programme – funded by the Welsh Government’s Democratic Engagement Grant – supports schools and colleges across Wales to organise and take part in youth-led hustings events ahead of the Senedd Election.

“These events have been a brilliant reminder of how important it is for young people to be given the opportunity to ask questions, voice their opinions, and engage in meaningful dialogue with candidates in the lead up to the Senedd election. We were so impressed by the hustings’ chairs, who we had the pleasure of supporting through our chair training workshop.

“It has been great to work with the staff at Coleg Cambria, supporting them to put together an event that puts young people, and their questions, views and concerns, front and centre.”

The hustings form part of Coleg Cambria’s ongoing commitment to encouraging democratic engagement among its learners. This includes promoting voter registration and supporting eligible students to prepare to take part in the election on May 7.