By Huw Edwards Presenter, People's Voice

Artists are heard loud and clear in the Wales Millennium Centre

"The assembly is a waste of money. You can't trust politicians.

"So what's the point in voting?"

If you recognise your own voice in any of these familiar - and, let's face it, not very original - complaints, maybe it's time to think again.

So why does it matter?

Well, if the food you eat, the water you drink and the air you breathe are affected - and they are - then those political decisions that are made every day of the week and at every level will affect you.

It's not only that voters need to find their voices - those voices also need to be listened to

Similarly, if you have children, if you use a car, or a bike or public transport, if you have a job, if you own a house or live in rented accommodation, if you smoke cigarettes or drink alcohol or abstain on both counts, then equally you really can't afford to bury your head in the sand.

That pretty much includes everyone, and that more than likely means you.

How often do you hear people expressing cynicism about the state of politics in the UK, and especially in Wales?

And yet for all the fingers that are pointed towards governments, politicians and even the journalists who report them, there's still widespread reluctance among voters to actually do anything about it.

Startling evidence

"Voter apathy" has been well documented and there's not much new in revelations that young people, in particular, feel alienated from politics.

The evidence is startling. At the last Welsh assembly election the overall turn-out was 38%, with fewer than one in five young people eligible to vote doing so.

How many voters will let X mark the spot at the next election?

Across all age groups, people say they are feeling less interested in and more frustrated by politics.

But it's not only that voters need to find their voices - those voices also need to be listened to, and not just at election time.

It's one of the main aims of BBC Wales' new political forum People's Voice.

Inclusiveness is a tired political buzzword, which is not to say it's not crucial to democracy. But actually achieving it takes hard work.

I hope that People's Voice will give democracy in Wales some vital new lifeblood

To make sure that voices are represented across the land, we're creating a people's panel to include people from every constituency in Wales.

Fresh minds

What's more, we're making sure that the people's panel includes plenty of young voices. They're not just a great indicator of the future shape of politics; they also bring fresh minds and ideas to the party.

Ask most people if they value democracy and they'll say yes. I hope that People's Voice will encourage more people to speak up and give democracy in Wales some vital new lifeblood.

So, get active, get involved, and become part of People's Voice.

I'll be hosting a special St David's Day debate on BBC1 Wales to allow People's Voice to be heard loud and clear.

There are still a few spaces left. If you'd like to be part of it, drop us an e-mail at peoples.voice@bbc.co.uk or telephone us on 08700 100 775.

We will need your name, address and telephone number - I cannot guarantee a place for everyone but we'll do our best to get you heard.

If you can't make it, don't worry. You'll be able to watch the programme after the Ten O'Clock News next Tuesday and it's worth pointing out that People's Voice is not a one-off.

We'll be running programmes and events throughout the next 12 months - you never know, you might hear us down your street.

People's Voice is on BBC1 Wales on 1 March at 2235GMT.