40 students from four Ipswich secondary schools had an experience of a lifetime earlier this week with a behind-the-scenes opportunity to learn more about the vast range of career opportunities in politics and Parliament.
The day trip to Westminster was made possible thanks to the Thomas Wolsey 550 project using funding from Suffolk County Council as part of the Wolsey Workplace Encounters careers programme.
Standout moments of the tour included getting to see inside both the House of Lords and the House of Commons (without sitting on the red and green benches!) and learning about political protests that have literally left their mark on the fabric of the building including the missing spur on the statue of Viscount Falkland courtesy of suffragette Margery Humes.
After their tour, and after an impromptu photoshoot with UK Armed Forces personnel as part of Armed Forces Week, all the students took part in a Q & A session with Ipswich MP Jack Abbott where topics ranging from the cost of public transport to the demand for recreational facilities for teenagers were discussed.
The middle of their afternoon was taken up with meeting professionals working in a range of roles across the Houses of Parliament including digital services, building restoration and renewal and parliamentary assistants.
As well as hearing first-hand about the day-to-day experiences of working in such a prestigious environment, the students also had the chance to learn about different career pathways in government and public service. They were especially interested to learn about Parliament’s inclusivity and diversity as a workplace, as one student remarked, “I’ve realised that working in parliament isn’t just open to wealthy people” and that, “there’s more to working in politics than being a MP and a PM.”
The session concluded with a workshop in which students shared their career aspirations, identified the barriers they face, and explored strategies to overcome them.
Career goals ranging from travel blogging to music production were shared, and solutions such as increasing provision for music equipment and entrepreneur mentoring in schools discussed. The workshop also touched on the various ways young people can get involved in youth social action to create positive change in Ipswich.
As part of the competitive selection process for being included in the trip, students had to submit their ideas for how they would invest in improving the lives of local young people, so they were all well prepped to take part.
As a Power of Youth Charter signatory, the Thomas Wolsey 550 project prioritises youth leadership, not just participation. Every activity was shaped with this in mind, including a Q&A with Jack Abbott MP and a workshop led by Youth Consults – a coaching organisation which brings young and diverse perspectives into spaces where young people often are not.
The day in London was the brainchild of Thomas Wolsey 550’s Education and Opportunities Lead Hannah Houghton who said: “We’ve run dozens of immersive workplace encounters over the past year – each one carefully designed to show young people a range of careers they probably didn’t even know existed. The Parliament trip not only introduced the students to a wide range of career options but also gave young people the opportunity to understand the workings of democracy and recognise their fundamental right to have their voices heard.
” I’d like to thank everyone who made the day possible but particularly Jack Abbott’s Chief of Staff Farah Hussain and Abi and Abiola Abidoye from Youth Consults and all the people we engaged with in parliament who made the students feel welcome and inspired.”
