LA PRENSA DEMÓCRATICAUnión Liberal de Gaduridos Launch the Jóvenes Liberales de Gaduridos and New Youth Outreach SchemeParty President Juan Martinez has today announced the creation of the party’s youth wing, Jóvenes Liberales de Gaduridos, (Young Liberals of Gaduridos), as part of the party’s new youth outreach programme. The aim of the programme is to create a new generation of Gaduri liberals who can form a longstanding grassroots support, and to develop new political talent.
Jóvenes Liberales de Gaduridos (JLG), will be entirely youth run, with members below the age of twenty-five being automatically joined to the youth wing. The youth wing shall be led by an elected Consejo Joven Liberal, (Young Liberal Council); a body of twenty members elected upon a two year term. Members who go over the age of twenty-five whilst serving on the Council will be allowed to serve the remainder of their term. The Council will elect their own Presidents to chair meetings and act as a figurehead for the wing.
The JLG shall be given a platform at Federal Conferences, with talented speakers being invited to give a speech to the main hall. Their policy proposals shall also be given a priority status, along with the proposals of several member pressure groups, meaning that they will be debated and voted upon at Conference immediately following the proposals of senior party members and party leadership. The group will act as an internal pressure group representing youth interests within the party membership.
Like the main party, the JLG will follow a federalist structure, with regional and local branches being tied to the senior branches of the party. The JLG will also be responsible for helping to coordinate the youth outreach programme, in which the party will organise youth activity groups, open to members and non-members. The party will organise activities such as camping trips and community social meetings, open to individuals over fifteen, with the groups being split into junior members (15-17) and senior members (18-25) for safeguarding reasons. These groups will be known as JLG Compañías. Whilst the JLG Compañías will be required to promote liberal ideas of tolerance and individuality, the party claims that their primary purpose is to serve entire communities in a completely non-discriminatory way in order to fill gaps where society has failed.
Critics have argued that the JLG Compañías are inherently biased towards ULG members or their children, though the party have made it clear that this is not the desired case. It is simply the fact that these groups are organised by the party, though serve no indoctrination purpose and membership is entirely voluntary, even for JLG members.