Research at Royal Holloway is creating new ways for young Londoners to have a real voice in public policy and local decision-making.

Life Rivers Game

At Royal Holloway, research into youth participation is helping to strengthen local democracy and create new ways for young people to influence public policy.

Professor James Sloam from the Department of Politics, International Relations and Philosophy has been working with young Londoners and policy-makers to explore how youth voice can help build fairer, more inclusive cities.

Through long-term collaboration with the Greater London Authority, the London Sustainable Development Commission, and Partnership for Young London, his research has informed new ‘civic mentoring’ models that support young people, particularly those from marginalised communities, to engage in decision-making between elections.

This work has already shaped practical tools such as the Young Londoners’ Priorities for a Sustainable City report and the Children and Young People as Partners Handbook for policy-makers, and has contributed to national and international studies on civic participation including the United Nations World Public Sector Report (2023).

Professor Sloam’s new book, Turning Youth Voice into Public Policy (Bristol University Press, 2025), brings these insights together, highlighting how collaboration between universities, communities, and local government can strengthen democracy from the ground up.

This research reflects Royal Holloway’s broader commitment to civic engagement and social purpose through the RH2030s strategy.

Read more about the book on Bristol University Press: the introduction is free to read here, and any royalties from the book will be donated to youth voice charities suggested by the young Londoners who worked on these projects.