Justin Tomlinson MP joined forces with Scouts from Swindon to take on other constituencies in a head-to-head quiz in Parliament.
1st Stratton St Margaret Scouts joined Justin in Parliament to take part in the quiz which was hosted by Going for Gold’s Henry Kelly. The teams were tested on a range of political issues including law-making, political parties and the electoral process as well as popular culture and Scouting.
The event marked the launch of a new resource pack “Talk this Way: From Scout to Speaker of the House” which aims to teach Scouts about Parliament. It uses a variety of activities to show how young people can influence and engage with the democratic process, and includes House of Commons-style debates to encourage Scouts to think about arguments from all sides and develop their views on today’s most important political issues.
Justin said: “I am a huge fan of the fantastic work Scouts do to positively engage with young people. I am working with the national Scouts organisation to identify further ways they can help lead and shape activities with young people so it was a real pleasure to welcome local Scouts into Parliament.”
While outdoor activities and adventure are central to Scouting, preparing young people to be active citizens and participants in their communities is also at the core of the movement. The resource, created in partnership with Parliament’s Education Service, builds on other events run by The Scout Association to encourage young people to speak up on issues that affect them and to get them talking to their politicians.
Sam Woodfield, aged 10 from Swindon Scouts, said “I really wanted to know what MPs actually do and after today now I do!”
