STUDENTS from Ysgol Gwynllyw in Pontypool have been supporting a new online campaign to get young people interested in the Assembly elections.

The students who study politics in sixth form are encouraging other young people to use their vote in the two referenda and Assembly election being held this year.

A referendum will be held on March 3 to ask whether the National Assembly should have further law-making powers and on May 5, there will be the National Assembly election to decide who should represent residents in the Senedd in Cardiff Bay.

On the same day as the Assembly elections, a referendum will be held to ask whether we should elect our MPs at Westminster through a different system of voting.

The new online campaign is targeted specifically at the 18-35 age group through sites including Facebook, Twitter, MSN, Hotmail and Spotify.

Jake Shyne, 17, said: "I think it is extremely important to include young people in politics and the best way to do this is through new media on the internet, through Twitter and YouTube for example."

Gruffudd Parry, 18, said: "In order to try and sustain the level of interest in politics, a wider use of technology should be used, including more accessible websites targeting the younger generation and informing them of local and national-level political issues."

Aled Thomas, 16, said: "Politics is extremely interesting. Politicians should use social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook in order to appeal more to youngsters and outline their manifestos."

Assembly Presiding Officer, Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas said: "If we are serious about reaching out and engaging young people them we need to be on the communication platforms that they use.

"That's exactly what this whole campaign is about, trying something different in order to have that conversation with everyone in Wales - not just the usual groups of people who consume their information through the usual news and communication channels."