who we are
My Life My Say is a youth-led, non-partisan movement on a mission to encourage young people to participate in democracy, and get every single young person voting.
We’re recognised as one of the leading drivers of youth engagement in the UK, reaching over 6 million young people since 2013, increasing access to democracy, and affecting real change that benefits the greater good.
We have worked with many notable decision-making institutions in the UK to help enhance young people’s engagement in decision-making processes. In 2018, Cabinet Office announced My Life My Say as a Democracy Champion, particularly for our Democracy Café methodology. On being given the award, the Cabinet Office said: “[My Life My Say] has put a new idea forward to increase access to democracy, convinced others of the merit of their idea and effected a real change that benefits the greater good.”
In a short timeframe we have built an exceptional reputation for empowering young people, My Life My Say has proven its ability to strategically influence policy and empower young people in the UK.
We have garnered the praise of the UK Government, Mayor of London, Mayor of Los Angeles, European Commission and European Parliament, amongst others. We are also proud members of the UK Government's National Democracy Council, advising the Cabinet Office on their democratic engagement strategy.
Since 2013, we have developed our Theory of Change and summarised it in a step-by-step programme of engagement that aims to engage young people in democracy. And we’re just getting started.
we create the space for conversation
Step 1: Creating the space for conversation through our globally renowned Democracy Cafés, and the UK's leading youth summit; the Common Futures Forum.
Our globally-renowned Democracy Cafés are our reinvigoration of the 17th-century coffee house tradition where members of society would come together and discuss local issues. We’ve taken this tradition and modernised it to take place in your local Starbucks with a bit more fun and frappuccinos!
We have organised 500+ Democracy Cafés reaching over 40,000 young people, with more than 80% taking place outside of London. These include Aberdeen, Blackburn, Cardiff, Derry, Portsmouth and many more towns and cities across the UK.
Alongside our Democracy Cafés, we host the UK's biggest youth summit, the Common Futures Forum, which brings together leaders, activists, and academics who engage with young people and the issues that they care about.
The Forum was first launched in 2018 by the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan. We have had more than 1,500 young people in attendance at the Forum with more than 120 speakers, platforming those from the world of technology, business, politics, and influencing. Our previous conferences have been widely successful in inspiring the next generation of change-makers.
Our Democracy Cafés and Common Futures Forum have been endorsed by leading international institutions such as the United Nations, European Commission, and the United States States Department.
building "the squad"
Step two: building 'the squad'
We know that young people care about the issues that affect them. But, too often, they are overlooked when it comes to key decisions. That’s why we equip young people with the skills and confidence to lead change in their communities.
The Squad is a leadership programme designed to support young people with the skills and confidence they require to organise their communities to create conversation and encourage their fellows to take action by registering to vote.
Members of the squad are part of a UK-wide network of young leaders who have been accredited to lead conversations.
If you would like to take the step to be part of the Squad, please apply here.
get every single young person voting
Step three: get every single young person voting
My Life My Say is at the forefront of mobilising the UK's youth to engage in the democratic process, spearheading voter registration efforts to ensure every young person casts their vote. Despite the power of the ballot box to enact change, a significant gap persists, with almost one-third of young people aged 18-24 unregistered to vote. This discrepancy sidelines their voices in political discourse, a situation My Life My Say is determined to change. Through initiatives like National Voter Registration Day and the Give an X campaign, we are breaking down barriers to political engagement.
National Voter Registration Day, organised by My Life My Say, is a non-partisan mass mobilisation day - designed to get the missing millions on the electoral roll. Since its inception in 2021 in the UK, this day has swiftly garnered traction, with over 220,000 individuals registering to vote on NVRD. Occurring annually in April, National Voter Registration Day sees volunteers and organisations nationwide coming together for a single day of coordinated field, technology, and media efforts.
The Give an X initiative, born from a collaboration with Shape History and the #iWill Movement, not only focuses on registering young voters but also emphasizes civic education, fostering an informed and engaged future electorate. Supported by the UK's leading youth sector organizations, these campaigns are a testament to our unwavering commitment to ensure every young voice is heard and valued in our democracy.
here's a recap from last year
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Address: Plexal, Press Centre, 14 East Bay Lane, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park,
London, E20 3BS
