Standing up for young people in Dulwich and West Norwood is a key priority for me.  I want to see every young person in our area achieving their full potential and participating fully in our community life.  That’s why I’m proud to be the Patron of The Advocacy Academy, which supports and empowers young people from a diverse range of backgrounds in South London to become campaigners and advocates for the issues they feel passionately about and the change they want to see.

Last week I welcomed the 2017-18 Advocates to Parliament to present their campaign ideas following an intensive residential week.  The Advocates spoke powerfully on a range of issues including Islamophobia, mental health, black representation in the media, and gender-based bullying in schools.  Their creative campaign ideas included a photography exhibition to celebrate the diversity of Muslims in the UK, a survey to better understand the extent of young peoples’ mental health problems; and an award for academic achievement to raise awareness of the Latin American community.

I was hugely impressed by the Advocates combination of deeply personal stories with practical solutions to problems I know young people face on a daily basis in my constituency. I’m now looking forward to seeing the Advocates develop their campaigns and grow in confidence over the next eight months to bring them to fruition.

To find out more about the Advocacy Academy, please visit their website - http://www.theadvocacyacademy.com/