They are the politicians’ prime targets in the General Election campaign.

Young people, who often think their views don’t count, are being encouraged like never before to use their vote or lose the opportunity of having their say on their country’s future.

With the election only a fortnight away and the campaign in full swing, I caught up with a group of young people in Bradford to find out what they want from the next government.

Mariam Ahmed, 20, is passionate about politics and is determined to have her say. Three years ago she was homeless, an issue she hopes the election candidates will focus on, along with other issues affecting young people such as sexual health.

Mariam, a trainee youth support worker with Bradford Youth Development Partnership, lives in supported accommodation in the city. Last year she became a member of Bradford and Keighley Youth Parliament representing Bradford West.

The Youth Parliament was set up eight years ago to give young people a voice. It comprises 30 young people from Bradford district aged between 11 and 21. “I’ve always been interested in politics in some shape or form, but last year it made me think I do have a voice and I can make change happen,” says Mariam. She believes more young people are likely to vote in this election because they are realising that their vote does count.

“I think young people are getting a lot more interested in politics and realise it is about their lives,” says Mariam.

It has been said that young people eligible to vote are more likely to pick up the phone and vote for their favourite act to win X Factor or Britain’s Got Talent than walking to their polling station and putting a tick in a box. Would telephone or online voting be the way forward to attract more young voters in an election?

Johnathan Crouch, 17, senior member of the Bradford and Keighley Youth Parliament who represents Bradford West, believes an X Factor-style vote would be ‘too informal.’ “As you have to pay to place your vote, it makes it look like a reality TV show instead of reality,” he says.

Mariam, Johnathan and Amilah Mirza, 20, a trainee youth support worker from Bradford, are switched-on when it comes to talking politics and their views are from the heart.

Second-time voter Amilah says she believes young people are often stereotyped, which particularly affects them when seeking employment, one of the key issues she is concentrating on.

“People think the younger you are the less experience you have. I’ve always wanted to be in the art and design industry, but because I was 17 at the time they wouldn’t give me a chance,” she says.

Amilah thinks politicians should be addressing the issue of making more apprenticeships available to young people.

Both she and Mariam are currently on an apprentice-style scheme. They argue that young people often have the experience but may not have the qualifications, and believe they should be given more opportunities to gain these.

“It’s limiting young people and it is age discrimination in a way,” says Johnathan.

Funding students through further education is another key focus for the group. Mariam, who is soon to begin a youth work degree, is concerned about how she will fund her way through her studies.

“You want to better yourself but you don’t want to be in debt,” she says. “Young people want to aspire and many have families who help them, but there are those whose families are less well off. People think you don’t want to better yourself, but it’s not because you don’t want to – you can’t afford it,” says Mariam.

Sexual health is another issue Mariam wants to see on the election agenda to address the increase in teenage pregnancies and sexually-transmitted infections (STIs).

She is currently involved in a two-year project in her Bradford West constituency to raise awareness about sexual health. She says sex education should be compulsory in schools.

First-time voter Mariam also wants to see politics on the school curriculum, as she believes that if young people learned about it they may take more interest.

Johnathan is two months too young to vote, but he is urging young people who have turned 18 to have their say. “You cannot moan about the Government if you don’t tick the box because you are giving up your right to have your say,” he says.