I've always worn my opinion on my sleeve. When people ask how I feel about something, I probably won't shut up about it for a number of hours. Those who know me well will frequently complain that I rant more than is good for me. However, it is, perhaps for these reasons that I got involved with politics in general and more importantly with the UK Youth Parliament (UKYP) as the member (MYP) for Belfast South.

As a young person growing up in Northern Ireland, I've noticed that politics takes an active role in the lives of everyone here, even if only some realise it. Politics has shaped this tiny little region, taking it from a war zone to post-conflict society, energized by a devolved government full of local people, talking about local issues. For me, even if it doesn't fulfil every need, this is an achievement. I believe that young people can draw inspiration from this, as part of being an MYP from Northern Ireland is describing and explaining to other young people throughout the UK what can be achieved through diplomatic political discussion. The Arma-lites are are gone and only the ballot boxes remain.

Not all teenagers will know that in a few years time, they will have the right to go to the polls and choose a government to lead them. By electing MYPs for their constituencies, young people who may not have heard about politics before get an early introduction to the fundamentals of democracy and also obtain an idea of how the parliamentary system works. As MYPs, we can take the queries and qualms of young people throughout the UK right to a multitude of MPs and leading social and political figures. This is youth politics at its best, actively working to convey the thoughts and ideas of the millions of young people living here.

I hold dear the core belief that if someone has an opinion, they should be entitled to express it. Opinions shape societies and young opinions should give those in power a firm idea of young priorities. Coming from Belfast, I find it especially important that organisations like UKYP play an active role in this, as the majority of our local government is represented by people over the age of fifty. Therefore, it is our duty as teenagers to lobby these politicians and make our young voices heard in Stormont, Holyrood, the Senedd and most importantly, in Westminster.

So when I take my seat in the House of Commons today, along with hundreds of my fellow MYPs, I will be demonstrating exactly why politics is directly relevant to young people. On those green benches that day will possibly sit the successors to current MPs and figures in local governments. Teenagers from many different walks of life will congregate, discuss and debate the issues that sixty five thousand young people across the country have declared important to them. This is the future of politics in action.

Aaron is 17 and from Belfast. He is a Member of Youth Parliament for Belfast South

Tags: Belfast, Northern Ireland, Parliament Week, UK Youth Parliament