uk youth climate coalition adopt an mp

uk youth climate coalition | Adopt an Mp

 The Campaign

1. How does Adopt an MP work?

2. The first steps
3. What are all these political terms?
4. How (and why) to lobby you MP
5. Your MP is a human
6. How to talk ‘climate’
uk youth climate coalition adopt an mp

7. How to write a blog

8. Extract from Anna Collins’ Adopt a Negotiator blog
9. How the website works

Resources

10. Template letter to your MP

11. Adoption Certificate

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The Campaign The Commitment

Adopt and MP is as simple as it sounds.
We aim to get 650 young people from every
constituency in the UK to adopt their local MP
and track them as they try to make climate change
Whether you’ve been involved in the climate
change world for years, or if this is the first things
you’ve got involved with, Adopt an MP is designed
to fit around your life. The campaign is about you
and your MP, not about us trying to achieve a set

uk youth climate coalition adopt an mp

their top priority.
outcome and it’s this flexibility and individuality
With a wave of first time MPs and a new coalition that will hopefully make it a success.
government there is the energy within Parliament
We want this to be about you and your MP working
for this to work and it's the perfect time to tell our
together and creating a relationship to take forward
story and inspire our MPs into action.
the issue of climate change where you live and to
This is not a traditional campaign with a set share that online.
outcome and agenda. This is about people and
Every month we will send you an action, but this
creating a real and lasting relationship that will
is a guide. Every constituency and tracker will
be different for every person involved. Like any
have a different way of working and we’ll offer
new relationship it will take time, patience, trust
suggestions, tips, and advice, but ultimately you
and a little love (!) to make this work, but through
can make this whatever you want. All we ask is
monthly actions and sharing your experiences
that you blog about it on the way!
online through adoptanmp.org, we know we can
make this happen. As a rough guide, being involved will take up
around 5 hours a month. 3
Every month we will send our trackers an action to
be completed over the next few weeks with enough
time to write about it online. The website will be
really easy to add to and become an invaluable
resource for local and national climate action. The
monthly actions will be simple and achievable and
the collective impact of that in every constituency
will be huge.

It's not about criticism or praise, but remembering

that MPs are humans and supporting them to make
a stand and fight for a difference when it comes to
local issues and national policy to create the clean,
fair, future that we need.

The focus is local, but the impact is global and

together we have an opportunity to make a
difference on a scale never seen before in the UK!
 The Community
When you become a tracker, you join a community of 650 fellow young people all trying to achieve the
same thing from across the UK. You are not alone! As well as being supported by all the other trackers,
the UKYCC team are always here to help and will be on hand to support you every step of the way.

If you need us at any time, just drop us a line at adoptanmp@ukycc.org and we’ll get right back
to you!

The most important thing about the Adopt an MP campaign is that you and your MP enjoy it. This
should be fun; and if it isn’t, something has gone wrong! We want you to be friends with your MP, to
share your concerns, your passion and your vision with them and make them care because you care.

This resource pack is just a guide to help get started. In reality the campaign will look different in every
uk youth climate coalition adopt an mp

constituency in the UK and that’s exactly how it should be.

All we ask is that you tell us your story! Write a blog, record a video, send us a poem, a song, a rap, a
picture, anything that shares your story as you adopt your local MP.

Good luck!

The guys and gals at UKYCC

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The first steps are always the most daunting but we’ve broken it down into 10 easy
points to kick off the adoption process:

1. Have a read of the Resource Pack, poke around the site and learn all about the Adopt an
MP project.

uk youth climate coalition adopt an mp

2. Sign up to become a tracker at adoptanmp.org (We’ll give you access your constituency page so
you can begin blogging immediately!)

3. Write a short piece about why you wanted to be involved and what you’re hoping to get out of this.

4. Find your MP and send them a letter ‘adopting’ them and asking for a meeting.

5. Meet with them!

6. Hand over the Adoption Certificate and grab a photo!

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7. Write a blog about your meeting and upload the photo.

8. Give your local newspaper and radio a call and tell them you’re adopting your MP and all about the
project and why you want to be involved.

9. On the first of every month (Starting from July 1st) we’ll email you the action for the next month.

10. Get cracking with actions and keep telling us all about your experiences!
 What can my MP do for me?
So we’ve all heard the horror stories about moats and duck ponds, seen the old men shouting at one
another on TV, and know a little bit about the weird traditions that dominate our government. It can all
seem just a little bit detached from the real World.
uk youth climate coalition adopt an mp

But whatever you think of all that, when it comes to pushing for a clean, fair future, your MP is definitely
someone worth having on board. Your MP (Member of Parliament) is elected roughly every 5 years and
has the job of representing you, and everyone else in your constituency in Parliament. This means that
it is his or her job to listen to the concerns of their constituents and to speak up for them in Parliament,
making sure that the best deal for those people can be achieved.

Once an MP has decided on the view he or she will take (which should not be based on their personal
views but on the views of those they represent), there are a number of actions they can take:

• Write to a Minister on your behalf, and forward you that Minister’s personal response.

• Ask a Parliamentary question – written or orally.

• Speak in a debate in the House of Commons.

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• Table an Early Day Motion, or sign an existing one.

• Vote for or against Bills going through Parliament and changes made to them as they go through, or
even suggest a change of their own.

• Propose a Private Member’s Bill which can become an Act of Parliament (creating a completely new
law).

You can be the driving force behind getting your MP to do any one of these things. Pretty exciting no?
Now you need to consider how!

Making first contact

Step one is to find out who your MP is. Go to theyworkforyou.com and use your post code to search. This
page will then tell you who your MP is and which party they belong to, as well as giving contact details.

Your first contact with your MP is likely to be via a letter or e-mail. This is a good means of making
contact, as it means that you’re able to put across
your ideas in a logical and coherent way.

When writing, make sure you include:

• Your name and address – your MP needs to be

able to see that you live in their constituency- if you
don’t, they can’t help you..

• Set out your main points nice and clearly.

• Request a meeting.

uk youth climate coalition adopt an mp

Be rational, and give reasons why he should listen
to you, but don’t pretend to be an expert if you’re
not. A letter from a concerned, informed, ordinary
person will often be a lot more effective than lots
of waffle. It is worth remembering that your MP
may well be receiving letters from the opposing
side to yours.

If you are campaigning for something, include

reasons why this would be beneficial to the
constituency and/or the country as a whole. If
you are campaigning against something, offer an
alternative solution if you have one, or a reason
why something is unnecessary.

Don’t waste your time with negativity or getting

angry. If you come across as an unreasonable 7
person, then you remove the single most important
reason for them to listen to you. Put your point
across firmly and forcefully, but don’t be rude and,
no matter how bad it gets, save the swearing for
when you get outside.

Think a bit about style and presentation- how do

you want to come across? Consider things like
whether a handwritten or typed note would be
more effective- are you trying to be formal, or to
make more of a personal connection? Headed
notepaper, or handmade card? Would a photo or
newspaper clipping strengthen your case?

To make life a little simpler, at the end of this pack

you’ll find a template first letter to your MP that
explains exactly what Adopt an MP is and that you
want a meeting!
 Meeting your MP
As a constituent, you have the right to request a
meeting with your MP. You will need to book this
with his constituency or Parliamentary secretary.
Your MP probably holds weekly surgeries locally on
Friday, but can meet you at the House of Commons
at other times.
If you are successful in getting a
meeting, you should:
uk youth climate coalition adopt an mp
Follow-up actions
Remember to be a good schmoozer, even if you
didn’t agree on everything. This is all about
building a relationship and trust that can develop
over time! If you managed to meet your MP,
send him a friendly thank you note along with a
reminder of what they said they would do. If you
promised to send them any further information,
now’s you’re chance.
Share your news

• Use the Internet to search for information on If you hear back from your MP in writing, we’d love
your MP. What are their political interests and to hear about it!
priorities? What are their party’s policies? Where
does he stand on climate change and green A blog article, any write-ups or notes after
energy? a meeting with your MP are great too. By
bringing together this sort of information from
• Think through what you want to cover in the constituencies across the country, we can build up
meeting. He will ask you questions, so make a picture of different MPs think, and how active
sure you know enough that you come across they are and that gives us real power together.
passionate and informed. You may want to take a
report or leaflet to help get your point across- over
the course of the year, the UKYCC will produce
briefings you keep you supplied with the latest info
and arguments.
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• Develop three main points that you want
to make, and hammer them home- don’t
overcomplicate things or give them room to fob
you off.

• Know what you want him to do as a result of the

meeting.

On a practical level!

• Make sure you’re on time

• Be realistic about how much you can cover.

• Use the time wisely – if your MP feels it was a

waste of time, you might suddenly find it difficult
to arrange a meeting in future!
When it comes to interacting with those in power
it is oh so easy to focus on policy and issues and
forget that the person you are talking to is indeed
a human too!
But it’s also important that we don’t forget that
either.
Because in fact one of the joys of being young is
that we are full of life, emotions and passion. Why
should we lose that just because we are in the
know and talking about policy? And why should
we think that MPs are not full of passion and
emotion too? (even if they don’t act like it most of
the time!)
So now you’ve adopted your MP treat them like
a friend, talk to them as you would a friend, tell
them how you feel and ask them how they feel.
We once stumped Ed Milliband by asking him
how he felt, rather than what he thought and it
definitely caught him out! We also rapped at him
too, but that’s another story...
We interact so much better with each other on a
personal and emotional level and politicians are no
different. And anyway you’re not an MP, you’re a
young person, so act like it.
So next time you don’t know what to say to your
MP take a minute to think about how you feel,
then tell them that and see what they say. Then
tell us all.
If we broke down the barriers and really all got
to know each other it would be a lot easier to
understand each other. When you and your MP
see each other as humans it will be a lot harder
for them to look you in the eye and make lame
uk youth climate coalition adopt an mp
excuses!
When you’re telling other people what you’re
up to, be that in blogs, interviews, or just talking
about your MP, don’t forget that the stories that
people like best are the human interest ones (thats
why we’re all addicted to Heat Magazine!). So
give us them. We want to hear the human side
of the story, not just the policy. Tell us how you
felt meeting your MP for the first time, were you
nervous, did they seem interested, what were they
wearing, did they treat you as an equal?
Our one unique selling point is that we are young
and this in its very nature means we have a license
to act like it! Your MP needs to know you are clued 9
up, informed and serious, but that does not mean
you can’t joke, laugh and treat them like a person.
You are passionate about this and that will shine
though however you act.
Let your youth shine through with every person
you talk to, believe us when we tell you it’s got us
far!
After all in this amazing future we are creating
we’re hoping there’s going to be a lot of fun and
laughter so why shouldn’t we act like it now!
 In today’s world we all have the opportunity to get our thoughts, feelings and experiences out there for
others to read. Blogs allow us the space to write and publish what we want to say, without being edited by
anyone else.

But whether you are blogging for the Guardian, on your own page or for us here at UKYCC the aim is to write
something that people read, take notice of, and if needed act on. To get them to do that you need to make
sure you’re writing and presenting your blogs in a way that is appealing to people, in a way that makes them
remember what you’ve said, not click to another page halfway through reading.
uk youth climate coalition adopt an mp

With that in mind here are our 5 top tips for writing a blog:

1. 500 words is PERFECT. anywhere between 500 – 1000 is ok, anything over 1000 everyone
has stopped reading. (yes we know, this is the most broken rule of blogging! But believe us and it will save
you a lot of wasted time and effort.)

2. Break it up. Blogs are meant to be read quickly, big blocks of text put people off, write concisely
and use short paragraphs for maximum effect

10 3. Always include a picture. We’re all small children at heart and it’s really true a picture
says a thousand words. Even if the picture isn’t completely relevant it helps to make your blog look more
interesting!

4. Find your own style. You’re not writing for a paper so it’s perfectly ok to write as you would
speak, the best blogs are the ones where you can recognise the style of the blogger and feel like you know
them.

5. Be personal, tell your story. If people want the news they’ll read a newspaper. A blog is
an opportunity for you to tell the story from your point of view in your words, include personal reflections,
anecdotes and anything else you want to help you connect with the reader.
Our very own Anna Collins was the tracker for Adopt a Negotiator where she
adopted, followed and befriended Jan, the the UK’s lead negotiator at the UN
Climate change conferences last year. Here’s is one of Anna’s first blogs about the
time she first met Jan...

Frustration, free food and a This means in the last 4 days of negotiations before
fortunate meeting! Copenhagen one whole half of this process is not
taking place!
So it turns out this tracking malarkey is actually
That’s not really good for anyone, as we obviously
rather easy…

uk youth climate coalition adopt an mp

need to move forward on this as quickly as we can.
Go to official reception, get in queue for a drink, But the Africa group obviously thought they had
meet lead negotiator! (why did I never think of no other way of making the point that what we
this before…I’m British, she’s British where else have on the table is just not good enough.
would we meet but the booze queue!)
They are obviously frustrated too.
Actually I jest, because I always go to the official
All is not as simple as it seems and I’m still trying
receptions (free food and drink in generally one of
to get my head round the complexities of what this
the swankiest buildings in the city who wouldn’t
all means and where we go now. But it seems we
go?), and I generally never see Jan.
have quite a situation on our hands. A situation
But last night she was there. Maybe she also that all the negotiators are having to deal with.
needed to relax a bit, because it seems it’s not just
It seems the frustration is building all round, not
me who’s frustrated with how things are going
just in the activists.
anymore.
Every time I meet Jan I realise we have more in
We had a chat as we waited for our drinks and I 11
common than I could ever have imagined.
think Jan may be quite frustrated too. She was
quick to tell me that yesterday did not go well. What we all know though, is not getting anywhere
is definately not the answer
Yesterday the Africa group walked out of the
discussions on the Kyoto Protocol. They said they Lets hope we can all channel this frustration into
would not take part in any groups or discussions something constructive over the next few days!
around the KP, which basically translates to
Or we’ll all be in the booze queue come Copenhagen!
discussions around emissions reductions, until
Annex 1 (most developed countries) upped
their numbers. Specifically they were referring
to the numbers for mid term (2020) emission
reductions.

So now all these negotiations have been suspended

until the issue is resolved and African countries
brought back into the negotiations.