A Whitehaven Academy pupil is standing as a candidate in the UK Youth Parliament elections.

Josh Gillson, a Year 10 pupil, is vying for the position as member of Youth Parliament for Copeland.

Young people aged 11-18 can join the 300-strong Youth Parliament and help to shape the future of young people across the county and the country.

The budding young politician has pledged to tackle transport options for young people, broaden careers education and campaign for the reintroduction of work experience.

Josh said: "I have a burning ambition to help and support the young people of Cumbria in the issues that they face. I believe becoming a member of the Youth Parliament (MYP) is a fantastic opportunity to develop the skills needed to take public office and make real difference to our community.

"Politics affects us all at many different levels and I hope to build my future career around the helping of others. Representing Copeland as the MYP would be the first step on a lifelong journey."

He has highlighted three issues.

"Transport in Cumbria is a growing issue," he said. "If we were in London, then we would have free oyster cards and be able to use them 24/7. In Cumbria however, transport for the young could be cheaper and more accessible. I pledge to try and give more options to young people."

He said: "A curriculum for life is needed in schools to meet the varying skills and qualities of people in Cumbria. I would campaign to broaden the careers education for young people so they had the knowledge to find the jobs that they will enjoy."

Josh added: "In the last couple of years, the amount of job opportunities for young people has decreased rapidly. Most employers now look for work experience. This is impossible to get when most employers do not accept to generally hire young people below 16 years old of age. As a result, I pledge to campaign for the reintroduction of work experience in schools to allow young people to taste the world of work and gain new and transferable skills."

The teenager enjoys being part of the school community, planning charity fundraising events and activities including the Duke of Edinburgh Award.

Other candidates for the Allerdale and Copeland role are: Elspeth Dennison, Kayleigh Robinson, Max Brough, Megan Gilmore, Heather Gibbon, Molly Davies, Ryan Smith and Cain Milburn.