Wandsworth (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Wandsworth’s new Youth Mayor team has launched an initiative to foster unity, amplify youth voices, and promote engagement across the borough’s young population.
Wandsworth’s youth have chosen Kwasi Agyekum-Koranchie as the city’s youth mayor and Sophia Dyson as the deputy youth mayor for the upcoming year.
“We want to help create an even happier, safer Wandsworth, where everyone feels they can be seen and heard.”
The message comes from Kwasi Agyekum-Koranchie, the recently elected Youth Mayor, who intends to utilize the position to serve as a “beacon” for the borough’s youth.
“The overarching thing I want to achieve is creating a happier Wandsworth, I want it to be a place where people have opportunity, but they also feel safe and heard,”
Explains the 15-year-old student at Ernest Bevin Academy in Tooting.
“There’s people who might not feel very comfortable with having their voices heard so the role of Youth Mayor is the opportunity to be that beacon of a voice.”
Kwasi is committed to working with the council’s political leaders to change things by running campaigns on issues like mental health, employment possibilities, and equality, diversity, and inclusion.
“I see this as an opportunity to use the potential of young people to enact real change,”
Highlights Kwasi.
“It’s up to young people to come together and really embrace our differences, we can unite and be one community.”
Councillor Judi Gasser, Wandsworth’s Cabinet Member for Children, praised the passion and ambition of the new Youth Mayor team and said that they are incredibly proud of our Youth Council and the inspiring young leaders like Kwasi and Sophia who step forward to represent their peers. The council is committed to working hand-in-hand with them to ensure young people’s voices are not only heard but are at the heart of decision-making in Wandsworth.
Before winning their seats in a difficult election, the two, along with Sophia Dyson, Deputy Youth Mayor, had served on Wandsworth’s 40-member Youth Council.
Kwasi emphasizes that a crucial component of creating a strong voice for youth is collaborating with other Youth Council members.
“Youth Council will be a really big part of making things happen and enacting change,”
Says the keen guitarist and basketball player, who is also involved with the Jimmy Asher Foundation to make a positive difference to his community through sport.
“A lot of policies that are made are about us but not made with us. So, we want to elevate young people’s voices with members of the council.”
Sophia and Kwasi have already had the opportunity to meet with Leader Simon Hogg and other council decision-makers.
Kwasi also showed his confidence and dedication to elevating the voices of young people by taking the stage as one of the comperes at the Council’s third Family Hub launch, which was attended by Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and other prominent figures.
Deputy Youth Mayor Sophia, 16, says her reasons for getting involved are “making politics and government more accessible for young people, embracing Wandsworth’s vibrant cultures and enhancing its green spaces and outdoor activities.”
She calls climate change a “hugely pressing issue for young people,” and the lifelong Putney resident is passionate about it.
Highlighting the council’s Climate Action Microgrants scheme, Sophia adds:
“There’s so much potential in Wandsworth and I love the possibility of collaborating across councils with other youth mayors.”
Eight young people from all over the borough campaigned for office, bringing up a variety of topics such as mental health, cultural diversity, active travel, green spaces, education and careers, and community safety.
Local youth clubs such as BASE in Roehampton, Regenerate in Putney, Carney’s Community Gym in Battersea, Tooting Family Hub, Furzedown Youth Club, George Shearing, and Kimber Skate Park in Wandsworth enthusiastically participated in the election, which saw over 300 young people cast ballots starting on May 5.
At the official mayor-making event held on May 21 at Wandsworth Town Hall, the election results were announced.
The candidates included:
- Elisabeth Abraham, 15
- Kwasi Agyekum-Koranchie, 15
- Muzammil Ahmad, 17
- Demi Alli, 17
- Sophia Dyson, 16
- Theo Hall, 15
- Farhan Ruhan, 15
- Zarina Syed, 16
Millie Quinn and Favour Oniri, Wandsworth’s previous Youth Mayor duo, were the first young people elected in the borough last year, and the current team is expected to build on their efforts.
They led on significant youth-focused projects like the borough’s first Young People’s Sexual Harassment Survey and co-designed the Young Wandsworth Strategy to make sure services reflect the needs of young people, in addition to attending important events like the Wandsworth Arts Fringe and the environmentally conscious Hazelfest.
Additionally, their efforts influenced borough-wide safety and inclusiveness policies and created Wandsworth’s Library Strategy.
Keziah Gordon, the facilitator of the Wandsworth Youth Council, can be reached by email at Keziah.gordon@richmondandwandsworth.gov.uk or on Instagram at @wbcyouthcouncil.