Local Democracy Week: Citizenship classes come to life for local pupils

Date:  18 October 2006

Over 100 local school pupils had a citizenship class with a difference on Wednesday, by taking part in a special Open Day at Three Rivers District Council's offices in Rickmansworth as part of Local Democracy Week. 

Local Democracy Week (16-20 October) sees hundreds of events organised across the country to encourage young people to get interested and involved in local democracy. 

The Year 7 pupils, from St Joan of Arc School, had the chance to meet Councillors and take part in a Q&A session, and then take part in quizzes and talks with members of staff from the Leisure, Environmental Protection and Community Safety teams.  A similar event was held last year and proved a great success.

The District Council's Chief Executive, Steven Halls, says:

"It's so important that young people start learning about democracy and citizenship at a young age, and we hope that by providing events like these we can support what they learn at school by giving them some hands-on experience of local democracy."

Also being launched during Local Democracy Week are 'Democracy Packs', which will now be sent to all young people in the district on their 18th birthday.  The packs include information on how to vote, what the District Council does, and how democracy affect almost everything we do or see every day.