Student project hopes to increase turnout for Citizen UK’s Commonwealth Games Assembly at Birmingham Town Hall. 

As part of a placement sourced through the Professional Development Module; Josef Galkowski, Michelle Hoh and Daniel Larkin (Political Science and International Studies) and Shaimi Alterwaki (Business School) have undertaken a project in partnership with Citizens UK Birmingham in an attempt to increase student and staff turn out from the University, for a free Assembly held at Birmingham Town Hall on Wednesday 7th March 2018 ahead of the Commonwealth Games in 2022.

The Assembly is as much a celebration of Birmingham’s cultural diversity (with powerful performances and testimonies coming from different parties of society) and winning the bid to host the games, as it is in sending an important message to Council; that the games should positively impact the lives of people across the West Midlands.

Professor David Cutts, Head of the Professional Development Module, commented:

"Community organising and initiatives such as the Assembly on the 7th March at Birmingham Town Hall to lobby the council on their wider social responsibilities is the very essence of democracy at the coalface. It is inspiring that POLSIS students on placement with Citizens UK through the Professional Development Module are playing such a pivotal role in reaching out to different groups in order to widen representation at the event. Not only are they creating a vital space in which individuals, groups and communities can hold decision-makers to account but by coordinating this event they are providing an arena through which different communities can act together for a common goal".

The Assembly will aim to make sure the Council agree to certain pledges requested by people of the West Midlands:

• No cuts to services to pay for the Games
• All jobs related to the Games (including at the venues and contractors) to pay the real Living Wage
• Paid work experience placements for young people (aged 16-21 years at real living wage rate) involving Citizens UK on recruitment
• Widen access to sports and youth facilities before and after the Games (summer 2018)
• A community land trust (permanently affordable housing for families) on the Athlete’s Village site

• Citizens UK are hosting an event on Monday 26th February 2018 to Room 427 in the Muirhead Tower, 6pm-7pm, to talk in further detail about the Assembly on the 7th March.
• Register for tickets for the Assembly
• Find out more about Citizens UK
• Read more on the Professional Development module at Birmingham