Peterborough youth MP hopes role changes young people image
Danielle Daboh has been in the role for 18 months
One of Peterborough's youth MPs hopes the work she's doing can change the way young people in the city are seen.
Danielle Daboh - alongside Pranav Aggarwal - was elected to the role in March last year.
The pair represent Peterborough in the UK Youth Parliament, and in the last 18 months, have been trying to act as a voice for young people locally and nationally.
"I think it's been good to remind people that we're (young people) not all idiots," Danielle said.
"It's nice seeing all the different ways a young person can positively impact the place you live in and put a spotlight on things that don't always get a spotlight."
Some of the issues Danielle has been trying to tackle as a youth MP include racism, child poverty and school uniform costs.
'Their voice matters'
This summer, the 16-year-old helped set up a uniform swap shop in Peterborough's Queensgate shopping centre to help families in need ahead of the new academic year.
Soon after she was elected, Danielle said she’s looking forward to the moment she’s achieved something “concrete”, which could “change someone’s life for the better”.
Since then, she's still keen to continue giving young people a chance to share their views when they perhaps otherwise wouldn't.
"Even in our youth council focus groups, we always try and invite so many people into these spaces where they maybe get to talk to important people in our city, just to show them that their voice matters," Danielle said.
The UK Youth Parliament is made up of 203 constituencies and 395 seats, with youth MPs representing 6.2 million people aged 11 to 18 across the country.
Youth MPs have met inside the House of Commons chamber for debate once a year since 2009 apart from during the Covid pandemic but this year, they will meet here twice.
Once elected, youth MPs serve a two-year term before they get the chance to seek re-election.
'When you give them the chance, they are interested'
Danielle and Pranav took over from Eva Woods, with two MPs elected for Peterborough to cover the city's growing population.
And the former Stanground Academy pupil hopes positions like hers can encourage more young people to be interested in politics.
"My teachers would bang on about 'Danielle did this' and I hope it shows it doesn't matter who you are; if you have a vision and things you think you can help on, try and make the change yourself," Danielle added.
"We had this mock election (at school) for young people and I helped lead an assembly about how government works.
"We did our own mock vote; so many people participated in that and it showed us when you give them the chance, the tools and the guidance, they are interested."