Get involved! I am really keen to get young people involved in politics, and understanding better what an MP does on behalf of their constituents. This helps with citizenship and so much more. I am a service business with a mission statement that is simple - we try to provide a great service to all constituents, without fear or favour, whilst doing this as cheaply as is possible for the taxpayer. I was the first MP to train and retain an apprentice and my team go to great lengths to get people involved in whatever way they want to see how an MP's office works.
I run two schemes to get people involved. In my constituency office in the last 3 years in Hexham we have had over 150 young people take part in our work experience programme getting first hand experience of politics. The scheme is totally flexible, and designed to give young people an experience which fits around them over a few days or weeks. Some people come for a day, others come for a couple of weeks. One young man from Stocksfield came along a couple of years ago and liked it so much he ended up volunteering most of his summer. In London from time to time we offer some short term work experience and I now offer a paid internship scheme too. We do everything possible to help local people of whatever political view get an inside look at the job I do on behalf of 60,000+ people.
If you know any young people who would like to get tell them to get in touch and I will see how we can help, although places in London, in particular on the internship, are really limited. Email me at guy.opperman.mp@parliament.uk
