A Loughborough College student has been invited to represent Leicestershire at a prestigious House of Commons event.
Rina Roy has been elected to the UK Youth Parliament and will be amongst a select group of delegates attending a debate set to be streamed live by the BBC in November.
The 17 year old , who studies A-levels in Law, Business, Psychology and Photography at Loughborough Sixth Form College, is balloting young people across Charnwood as part of the ‘Make Your Mark’ campaign to identify the top ten issues most important to them.
A final shortlist of five issues will be decided at a convention Rina is attending in Birmingham this weekend and will then be debated alongside those from UK Youth Parliament representatives from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland next month.
The Loughborough teenager said: “I joined the Student Council and the Charnwood Youth Council when I was at school in an attempt to improve my confidence and when I joined Loughborough College I was encouraged to campaign for the UK Youth Parliament.
“I was thrilled to be elected as a representative for the Leicestershire constituency in February and my term of office lasts for two years.
“I’ve been to schools and colleges across Charnwood, to the Loughborough Mela, the Town Hall and even McDonalds asking as many other young people as I can to vote on the the issues that matter most to them.
“I will then help decide the top five and take that to the national debate in Westminster next month.
“I can’t believe I used to be the sort of person who sat at the back of the class, scared to put up their hand. I am so much more confident now.
“I really enjoy representing Leicestershire in the UK Youth Parliament, trying to show young people how relevant politics is to their lives and the community they live in.
“I feel I have come a long way and can help to make a real difference. I am hoping to study Politics and International Relations at University – and perhaps one day be debating in the House of Commons as an MP.”