The government’s announcement that 16- and 17-year-olds will be able to vote in the next general election is nothing short of a seismic shift for democracy. For those of us working to engage young people in civic life, it’s also the defining moment we’ve long hoped for and which brings new urgency to the work we do every day in further education.
At Trafford and Stockport College Group this news lands with particular resonance. Over the past two years, we’ve been piloting a pioneering voter registration initiative that allows students to register at the point of college enrolment. It’s a simple opt-in tick-box on a form; practical, secure, and student-friendly. But its impact has been anything but small.
Auto-enrolment pilot
Our first-year pilot in 2024 saw over 1,000 students register. Since then, momentum has grown rapidly. With the backing of local election managers, MPs, and Greater Manchester leaders, the scheme is now ready to be rolled out across all Great Manchester colleges and other colleges across the UK have begun replicating our model. What started as a local pilot is fast becoming a national movement and the government’s announcement is the wind in our sails.
But with this new right comes a critical question: how do we ensure that newly enfranchised 16 and 17-year-olds feel empowered to use their vote?
This is where FE colleges have a unique and powerful role to play to ensure our young people are socially aware, politically engaged, and more than ready to take part in shaping their future. What they need is a system that lets them in, and educators who help them feel confident once they’re there.
Registering to vote isn’t just about participating in elections. It supports independence, boosting credit scores, making it easier to rent a home, and giving young people the power to sign their own phone contracts. But more than that, it sends a message: your voice matters. You belong in the democratic process.
For too long, our youngest citizens have been trusted with responsibilities – working, paying taxes, even joining the armed forces -while being denied a say at the ballot box. Now that imbalance is being corrected. The right to vote at 16 affirms a belief in young people’s capacity to lead, to contribute, and to make informed decisions about the world they’re inheriting.
Matching belief with action
Our job now is to match that belief with action. We need to ensure voter registration becomes a seamless part of post-16 education across the UK. That means practical infrastructure, yes, but also a shift in mindset. Civic participation shouldn’t be treated as an extracurricular add-on. It should be embedded in the student journey from day one.
At Trafford and Stockport College Group, we’ve learned some important lessons along the way. Building strong partnerships with local authorities is vital. So is putting student experience at the heart of every decision. When you make registration easy, respectful, and relevant, students respond. And when they feel heard, they’re far more likely to engage not just in politics, but in shaping the communities around them.
This is a proud moment, not just for me personally, but for everyone who’s worked to get us here. From local councillors to policy advocates, educators to students themselves, this change has been powered by people who believe in democracy’s full potential.
But pride must now give way to purpose. The vote at 16 is not the end of the journey; it’s the start of a new chapter.
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