Southampton Youth Debate Event

The Southampton Youth Debate is an engagement and learning activity funded by the university’s Public Engagement and Outreach skills programme and run jointly by Rebecca Ridley from the Education School and Emily Rainsford from the Politics Department. The objectives are to help young people gain a better understanding of social science PhD research and to discuss political and social issues in their local communities.

The event will bring together 100 young people in year 9 from schools across Southampton, Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight to participate in interactive presentations with PhD students from education, politics and social science; a workshop; and a following "Question Time-style" panel discussion on young people’s political and social issues in their local communities and the UK more widely. Panellists will include local political representatives and professionals who work with young people.