Bermuda’s young people have the potential to play a major role in local politics, a Progressive Labour Party open forum was told this week.

Addressing more than 200 people at the Bermuda Industrial Union Sweeting-Ball Memorial Hall on Monday, 23-year-old Coy Millett said young people must see that their contributions are taken seriously if they are going to become involved in politics.

Noting youth involvement in the Arab Spring and the election of President Barack Obama, Mr Millett said young people can make a major difference politically, provide a fresh perspective and mobilise each other to rally behind a cause.

“Social media, the internet, an increase in international exposure and many other factors have resulted in a very well-versed demographic,” he said. “With the means of communication and access to information, we have a generation that have spent the greater part of their lives digesting information in a way that to many doesn’t make sense.”

While he said young people internationally have demonstrated their ability to make a difference, he argued that the traditional political avenues have not been available, leaving many people disengaged.

“Politics turns into nothing more than a Facebook post or 120 characters or a soundbite, which is generally negative and often difficult to hear,” he said. “For those who do stay engaged, politics has still been off limits to a large number, with their value only present on election day.

“We have an opportunity in Bermuda to engage the minds of our youngest electorates, our young thinkers, our young minds, our young engineers, our young artists. An opportunity for the young minds to develop and lead the shape of politics on truly totalitarian principles. The greatest good for the greatest numbers.”

In order to truly engage with younger people, he said that groups must make a meaningful and lasted commitment to young people.

Reverend Terry Hassell, another member of the panel at the forum, said the church has also been facing challenges in getting young people involved and that a change in mindset may be needed. He noted that his own daughter had come under some criticism after attending church with green hair.

“When she comes to church with her hair like that, instead of embracing her for being in church, what people have commented on is her hair which has nothing to do with where her heart is.”

In his main presentation, Rev Hassell said that the church can and should play an important role in supporting the Island’s families and the community as a whole.

He said that the family unit has been strained by social woes, with women often being faced with unfair burdens and grandparents forced to return to being primary caregivers. He also said there appears to have been an increase in drug and alcohol abuse, domestic violence issues and financial hardships owing to the economic climate.

“These are issues that the church can and must address,” Rev Hassell said. “The church has earned great respect in the community over a number of years for its compassion towards the weak and vulnerable in society.

“The church is an outstanding vehicle for getting information out to Bermudians. The church is strategically positioned and possesses an amazing ability to respond to families and crisis.

“I believe the church should not just be on the forefront for responding to any crisis within the community that impacts the family, but it should also be proactive in providing programmes, plans and visions that continue to strengthen the family.”