A teenager whose goal is to enter the world of political journalism, is calling for pupils to get involved in this year’s Make your Mark national ballot.

Former Highsted Grammar School pupil Angel Layer, is Kent’s member of the UK Youth Parliament alongside six other representatives who discuss and debate issues for young people.

She is appealing 11 to 18-year-olds in Swale to get involved with the campaign, where they can choose what they believe are the five most important issues out of a list of 10.

The top five in the country will be debated in the House of Commons by the UK Youth Parliament in November.

One will be picked as a national issue, which this year is the living wage, and one also an ‘England only’ issue, which is currently mental health.

The 18-year-old is also a member of Kent Youth County Council (KYCC), acting as a link between young people in the local area and the UK Youth Parliament.

She said: “I think that it is essential for young people to have a voice, we are tomorrow’s leaders and the more influence we have in our future the better.

“UK Youth Parliament and Kent Youth County Council are the base for that. You are able to express your opinions and actually make a fundamental difference to the lives of other young people.”

Alongside transport and anti-bullying, the KYCC has been campaigning for mental health this year.

Angel, of Cornflower Way in Minster, said: “I didn’t know how much mental health affected young people until I spoke to them. It’s a massive issue.”

The teenager says that despite suffering from being shy, she has grown in confidence with her two roles: “I had run for school council but we had to do speeches and when it came down to it I didn’t get it, I was so nervous.

“I remember Googleing the Youth County Council to see if I could get involved as I was so angered by the travel pass which had gone up in price. The elections were just about to close.

“I stayed up all night and sent in an application.”

Though her time as a member of UK Youth Parliament and KYCC comes to a finish when she reaches 19, Angel - who is heading to the University of Portsmouth - hopes to carry on in youth politics through positions in the British Youth Council - an organisation that supports the UK Youth Parliament.