A SCHOOL'S plans to encourage youngsters in Billingham to develop an interest in the democratic process and to give them a voice in local affairs have received a funding boost.

St Michael's School, Billingham, has been awarded £10,000 from the Barclays New Futures Awards to help set up a youth forum in the town.

The forum will aim to build and strengthen links with the Billingham Regeneration Board, local residents' associations and Stockton Borough Council.

Pupils will be given the chance to have their say on the future of the town, while watching the democratic process in action, and will report back to their schools on any decisions. They can also have a say on what they would like to see in Billingham.

The youngsters at St Michael's will work with students from nearby St Paul's School and Bede Sixth Form College on the two-year project.

Sara Davies, citizenship co-ordinator at the school, said: "There has been a great deal of concern nationally about the numbers of young adults who do not use their vote in elections.

"Political literacy is one of the key strands of the Government's citizenship syllabus, which is compulsory in schools from September.

"This scheme has the potential to encourage greater participation in the political processes, both locally and nationally, and it will help fulfil part of the requirements of the new syllabus.

"Pupils are given more confidence and made aware that, as young people, they have the power to initiate change, and that they do have access to local government.

"By being active in their communities they can help bring about change in an effective way."

If the youth forum is successful, teachers at St Michael's hope to build on that and promote political understanding of the British Parliamentary system and the European Parliament in the school.