Northamptonshire teenagers Ivanna Obi and Kendra Okelola elected to Youth Parliament

Ivanna Obi and Kendra Okelola have been named as the newly-elected Members of Youth Parliament (MYPs) for North Northamptonshire. The announcement follows a public vote held on Monday, 18 May 2026, which saw more than 600 young people cast their ballots to determine their representatives for the upcoming term.

Ivanna Obi, 17, returns to the role after being re-elected by her peers, while 15-year-old Kendra Okelola joins the Youth Parliament for the first time. Their positions involve representing the views and interests of young residents at the highest level of government, including attending sittings at Westminster when the Youth Parliament is in session.

National representation at Westminster

As MYPs, Obi and Okelola are tasked with ensuring the concerns of North Northamptonshire’s youth are heard on a national stage. This role provides a direct link between local teenagers and policymakers in London, allowing the representatives to advocate for issues ranging from mental health to educational reform.

In addition to their national duties, both representatives will sit on the North Northamptonshire Youth Advisory Council. This local body works closely with the local authority to ensure that council services and regional policies reflect the needs of the younger generation. The latest Youth Parliament election gives young people in North Northamptonshire another formal route to have their views heard.

Community engagement and the election process

The election was organized by North Northamptonshire Council in partnership with the Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) and the National Youth Agency (NYA). Local officials expressed gratitude to the hundreds of school pupils and young residents who participated in the democratic process by reviewing candidate mandates and casting votes.

Further details regarding the specific roles and upcoming projects for the new candidates will be released by the council in the coming weeks. Young people interested in future representation or community engagement can contact the council’s participation team via email or through the official local authority website.

Source: North Northamptonshire Council