Dumfries and Galloway MP Richard Arkless recently meet members of the Scottish Youth Parliament (MSYPs) Jordan Todd, Emily Davies and Lewis Douglas to discuss the work of the Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP) and the approaching 2017 elections.
The Scottish Youth Parliament represents Scotland’s young people and ensures that as a nation, the values and voices of children and young adults are actively listened to.
MYSPs range in age from 14-25 and are democratically elected every two years with each of Scotland’s 32 different Local Authorities being represented by two members.
Commenting on the meeting, Richard said:
“I was delighted to spend some time with Emily, Jordan and Lewis and learn more about the projects that they are currently working on. I was particularly interested to hear about the Speak Your Mind campaign which focuses on raising awareness of the many issues associated with metal health and young people. It’s a great campaign that encourages young people to talk positively about mental health.”
The SYP is independent of any political parties and Richard was keen to point out that he supports all of the candidates and was ‘very proud of any young person that stands for election because they want to help people.’
Richard added:
“The SYP gives our young people a platform to express their views and have their opinions listened to. The parliament has brought about tangible change in our country – for example MSYP’s have been campaigning for ‘Votes at 16’ for years and it was largely because of their strong voice that 16 and 17 year olds were able to vote in the 2014 referendum. I feel very proud of all of our MSYP’s and would encourage any young person with an interest in politics or community work to consider putting themselves forward as a candidate.”
“After spending time with MSYP’s I am always struck by their simple desire to build a fairer and more equal society. It is heartening to see young people take such an interest in politics and it bodes well for Scotland’s future.”
Elections for the Scottish Youth Parliament will be held in March this year. To find out more, please visit www.syp.org.uk
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