By 
A Strabane teenager is swapping the schoolroom for Stormont after being selected as a member of the Northern Ireland Youth Assembly.
Ted Cummings, from Strabane Academy, was one of just 90 chosen from an application pool of 600 across the North. This marks the third two-year mandate of the Assembly, which gives young people aged 12–16 a platform to have their voices heard on local issues.
The Youth Assembly, set up in 2013, allows members to engage with the main Assembly and its committees on legislation and inquiries affecting young people, undertake project work, and consult with government departments through various youth-led initiatives.
Reflecting on how he got involved, Ted said, “I saw an open application for the Assembly through social media and decided to apply for it, receiving help from my teachers to shape and submit the application. A few months went by and I then received an email last summer to say that I had been chosen to represent West Tyrone in the Assembly.”
Of the three available committees – health, equality, and education – Ted chose the education committee.
“I chose that particular committee because, as someone who will soon embark on A-Levels, it was important to me and affected my life the most.
“I feel that guidance for A-Levels can be sub-par and that, from a STEM point of view, education isn’t as committed as it could be towards those subjects.
“I am looking towards technology, maths and physics for my own studies and felt that this committee was the right one.”
Ted has already attended his first plenary session back in November, as well as a ‘getting to know you’ day with his fellow members.
Looking ahead, he said, “I’m delighted to be a part of the Youth Assembly for the next two years and I’m looking forward to making a difference.”
