How to take action
Perhaps you're thinking: "I'm just one person, I can't make a difference". Wrong! There are lots of things you can do to help; simple things to show you care and that really do make difference.
Write to your MP
Ask your MP to sign our campaign EDM . You can do this online right now and you don't even have to know who your MP is! Just go to http://www.writetothem.com/ (it give details for every MP, MEP or councillor in every UK postcode) and follow the instructions. It takes just moments. Writing to your MP is a great way to raise awareness of the needs of disadvantaged young women in your area. If your MP then writes to a Minister on your behalf, they will receive a reply signed by the Minister, so more people with more power will see it.
Your letter should always:
- be addressed to an MP using their name followed by MP for example, Josephine Public MP
- be concise, firm and polite
- be focused on personal experience and /or your strength of feeling on the subject (for example - how does this affect your personally or locally?)
- specifically ask your MP for her/his position on skills and disadvantaged young women
- ask your MP to contact the Education and Treasury Ministers with your worries
You have a right to know what your MP thinks - so when you write to an MP make sure you ask them to tell you what they think.
All MPs can be reached in writing at the House of Commons, Westminster, London, SW1A 0AA.
If your MP doesn't respond to you, try www.hearfromyourmp.com. This site forces MPs to debate directly with their constituents by using the power of collective pressure. You enter your details along with your postcode on the site, and when 25 people from the same constituency have done so, the MP is e-mailed with the news that 25 of his constituents would like to hear from him. Lastly, when all else fails then you can petition Downing Street directly online, by posting your grievance at petitions.pm.gov.uk , where others can sign in support of it.
What is your MP up to?
They're meant to be working on your behalf, so keep up with what they're doing at www.publicwhip.org.uk/ which tracks which MPs' voting patterns and records the number of times they turn up at the House. Similarly, www.theyworkforyou.com gives a digital dossier about your local MP.
Inside information
With an advisory board that contains MPs, www.epolitix.com gives up-to-the-minute political news and views. For informed Euro-opinion, you should head to http://www.fistfulofeuros.net
Finally, watch live video feeds of the daily goings on in the Commons at www.parliament.uk
Write to your newspaper
The local, regional and national newspaper are read by thousands and thousands of people every day and you can be sure your MP reads her/his local newspapers. It's one of the ways they use to keep up-to-date with the views and opinions of their constituents.
The letters page is often the most widely read. So why not write a letter? Your letter could stimulate debate and coverage of the issue for weeks to come. You don't need to be an expert to write a letter on young women, work and skills - you just need to have an opinion.
Tell your paper about this campaign. Ask them if they will:
- challenge negative or degrading opinions about girls and young women
- tell their readers about the pitifully few opportunities for disadvantaged young women to gain skills, training and well-paid apprenticeships
- publish an article about the experiences at work of young women from local disadvantaged communities
Remember, keep it short, keep it focused, keep it local.