Get your class involved in the Election 2015 School Debate

ITV News wants to hear from schools getting pupils involved in the political process ahead of the General Election. Credit: ITV News

As the General Election approaches on Thursday 7 May, ITV News is working with schools in Wales to get young people involved in the political process.

Polling research suggests young people are less likely to vote than older citizens. But there are calls to reduce the voting age to 16 or 17.

We're hosting a Welsh leaders' debate on ITV ahead of the election, so why don't you hold your own version? Or perhaps a full mock election.

We'd like to see you in action and maybe include you in our programme.

To get things started, our reporter Tom Sheldrick went along to act as moderator for a debate at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman, in Ammanford.

Watch our coverage from Wales at Six:

So what is your school doing in the run-up to the General Election?

  • It may be a school debate to fire up lively discussion on a hot topic

  • You might be inviting local politicians to spark an interest

  • Are you holding your own mock election?

  • Some schools make their own video reports on a burning issue affecting young people

  • You could do your own political survey

Whatever your school is doing, please let us know at ITV News as we would like to cover some of the events in Welsh schools ahead of the election.

Email: tom.sheldrick@itv.com and sarah.drew@itv.com

Click here to download our registration pack

For terms and conditions go to: www.itv.com/terms

We are delighted to announce that the 'Election 2015 School Debate' project is being supported by a specially curated selection of resources provided by the UK Parliament's Education Service.

Parliament’s Education Service works closely with schools and students to inform, engage and empower young people to understand, and get involved in, Parliament, politics and democracy.

Holly Greenland, Parliament's Learning Resources Manager, said: "The ITV Regional News 'Election 2015 School Debate' project is a great way to help children build debating skills and engage them with the political process, which is especially relevant in this General Election year.”

To support this project, Parliament’s Education Service has curated a selection of their relevant films and resources to give schools access to useful information for holding a debate, running a mock election and more.

For all the debate and election resources relevant for your school, just head to Parliament's Education Service website: www.parliament.uk/schooldebate