Coleg Gwent celebrates student engagement in politics with news night event for UK Parliament Week

Coleg Gwent students celebrated UK Parliament Week with a special event on November 10th.

The event, inspired by the popular television program “Newsnight,” showcased the importance of student participation in politics while providing a platform for open and engaging discussions on pressing political issues.

Taking place at Torfaen Learning Zone the event featured a dynamic panel of guest speakers, including Nick Thomas-Symonds MP, Delyth Evans and Anthony Davies, Head of Torfaen Council, who led discussions on a range of topics relevant to today’s political landscape.

The event focused on topics including youth engagement in politics, the role of education in nurturing political awareness, local and national issues affecting students and the impact of student activism on policy change.

In addition to the panel discussions, learners took part in a Q&A session and a live debate, designed to encourage students to voice their opinions. Coleg Gwent learners in attendance also had the chance to ask questions and engage with the panellists in a manner reminiscent of the popular ‘Newsnight’ format.

As part of the broader UK Parliament Week initiative, this event is designed to raise awareness about the role that students can play in influencing the political landscape.

A representative from the Elections team at Torfaen Council was also in attendance, to help register students who will be voting for the first time at the next election.

Elizabeth Jones, Government and Politics tutor at Coleg Gwent said: “We are thrilled to be hosting this exciting event during UK Parliament Week. Engaging students in politics and helping them understand its significance will help empower them to become informed, active, and engaged citizens. We believe that by doing so, we are not only helping our students succeed academically but also preparing them for their future roles as responsible members of society.”

Nick Thomas-Symonds MP said: “Giving young people the chance to engage with Parliament and politics is a top priority for me. UK Parliament Week provides an important opportunity to ask me questions about the work that I do for the people of Torfaen, and the work of Parliament more generally.

“That’s why I was so pleased to visit the Torfaen Learning Zone to speak to students about what I do and to listen to their concerns and priorities. Thank you to everyone who took part for making it such a worthwhile experience and to the staff for making this possible.”

To learn more about our politics courses, click here.