A SOUTHAMPTON schoolgirl is campaigning to run as a member of Youth Parliament to represent her city.

Harjeet Sandhu, 14, from St Mary’s has been described as “a budding politician” by her peers as she has put her name in the hat to run as a Southampton representative at Youth Parliament.

Harjeet, who is a year nine student at St Anne’s Secondary School, will be pushing for better mental health awareness during her campaign, which will start on February 4 and run for ten days.

She will be campaigning through social media, her school and her local youth centre to raise awareness about mental health in young people.

Harjeet said: “According to the NHS, there has been an increase in the instances of mental health in young people between the ages of 5 and 15-year-olds.

“In just 18 years, figures have risen from 9.7 per cent in 1999 to 11.2 per cent in 2017.

“Constant exposure to unrealistic norms in social media and living in an increasingly competitive environment puts an unfair amount of strain on us young people. Additionally, many of our communities still treat mental illness as if it were an imagined or unreal condition.

“I want to be a voice that brings light to this struggle and creates a safe-space for young people struggling with mental illness.”

As Southampton’s member of Youth Parliament, her responsibilities will include; identifying, discussing and debating issues concerning young people; lobbying, meeting with decision makers, organising consultations and campaigning to resolve these issues; and developing and increasing the representation of young people in political affairs.

Youth Parliament offers those aged 11-18-years-old the chance to use their elected voice to bring social change through campaigning.