Pizza and Politics
Case study overview
Pizza and Politics aims to make politics easier to understand and more accessible by creating relaxed, welcoming spaces where young people can talk openly - and enjoy free pizza at the same time. The programme helps young people build their political knowledge, confidence and motivation. It also aims to help more young people feel represented by Welsh democracy and make it easier for them to stay involved over time.
How it worked
Sessions took place mainly in open-access youth clubs, with around 12 young people attending each one. In total, the programme reached 144 young people.
Each session lasted around 90 minutes and involved a mix of group activities and more informal conversations alongside free pizza. This gave facilitators different ways to bring in less confident young people and link political discussion to things they were already interested in. Facilitators adapted the content to suit the interests and confidence of each group.
Some young people were exploring politics for the first time. Others already had some knowledge and wanted to understand how they could become more involved.
Feedback
After the sessions, young people reported a better understanding of democracy, the Senedd, the role of its members, voter registration and other ways to take part in civic life.
They also developed confidence, communication and teamwork skills. Hearing different opinions helped participants understand how people’s experiences can shape their political views.
Key strengths
The flexible approach was one of the programme’s main strengths and helped young people who were less interested in politics participate in discussion. Pizza and food worked particularly well in helping to break the ice and draw young people into the conversation.
Giving young people space to guide the conversation helped make politics relevant to their own lives. It also created opportunities for them to express their views, hear their peer’s views and respectfully challenge one another.
Key learning
- Connect politics to issues that matter in young people’s everyday lives.
- Food is a good tool to draw young people into conversations and engage them.
- Be flexible and change the approach when an activity is not engaging the group.
- Give young people space to lead the conversation and explore their own views.
- Collect feedback after every session to keep improving the programme.
Further information
For further information about this project and related resources, visit Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs of Wales.