John Prescott meeting young people in Sheffield in December 2008 as part of the "Go Fourth" campaign, an event made possible in part by South Yorkshire Young Labour.

Six years ago, just 12% of Labour Party members were estimated to be aged under 34. Young people are the least likely age group to vote, and yet at the 2010 General Election, 18 to 24 year olds are thought to be the only age group where a majority voted Labour.

In the wake of that General Election defeat, there is once again much discussion within the Labour Party about how we best organise for the future. It comes at a time when I happen to be drifting into “middle-aged Labour” after eight years of organising Young Labour groups in the Yorkshire & Humber region. Young Labour: looking forward is my contribution to that discussion.

In summary, my argument is that the position of Young Labour groups within our party leaves them without the tools and direction they need to really tackle the challenge of the disengagement of young people from political parties, or to live up to the agenda set out for them in the Labour Party’s own rule book. By making relatively simple and cost-effective changes to the way we treat Young Labour groups, we can better engage and empower young members in every part of the country.

Specifically I suggest here:

1. Make them party units to be taken seriously: by giving them local affiliate status to make sure they are part of the mainstream, not an add-on
2. Give them the tools they need: what other membership organisation would function without lists of its own members or printed materials?
3. Small scale funding: take the worries out of finance by taking care of accounts and providing a membership premium
4. Invest in member development
5. Give clear direction: and encourage sharing of ideas and events.

In return, the groups themselves must meet certain responsibilities. What do good Young Labour groups do?

1. Debate, campaign, socialise – and meet regularly
2. Work in partnership with local parties, politicians, and Labour Students
3. Work accountably: at a minimum meeting some basic formal requirements
4. Communicate effectively: with their full memberships, as well as the wider world
5. Have fun

You can download the document as a PDF file (4MB) by clicking here.