Youth Parliament launches biggest ever manifesto consultation
The Scottish Youth Parliament has launched its youth manifesto consultation to gather the views of thousands of young people across Scotland.
Former Chairs of the organisation, current and former members, and partner organisations gathered at an event in Edinburgh last week to mark SYP’s 16th Birthday, and celebrate the achievements of Members of the Scottish Youth Parliament throughout the years.
The manifesto consultation, called Lead the Way, offers Scotland’s young people an opportunity to be the driving force and shape the years ahead. Members of the Scottish Youth Parliament will be consulting with young people all over the country, about a wide range of policy issues, to establish the biggest youth manifesto ever produced in Scotland.
In 2011, the Scottish Youth Parliament published its 2011-2016 youth manifesto, Change the Picture, which saw around 43,000 young people share their views on a range of issues of importance to young people.
Jordan Linden MSYP, Chair of the Scottish Youth Parliament, said: “As a youth-led organisation, our consultation work is at the very heart of everything we do and forms an invaluable part of our vision and values.
“Young people must be at the heart of discussions about their future, leading conversations in their communities, schools, colleges, universities, and workplaces. Young people are not only the future of our country, they are the present. The purpose of today is very simple, we are asking the young people of Scotland to lead the way.
“Our previous manifestos have given us the mandate to make significant changes in local and national policy, including ensuring 16 and 17 year olds could vote in the referendum and in the Scottish Parliament elections next year. I think it’s fitting that we celebrate these achievements today, but that we also look forward and ask ourselves: what more we can do to empower young people to make significant change?
“Through our manifesto consultation, we will ensure young people’s voices are heard. The views of Scotland’s young people underpin everything we do as an organisation, and our 2016-2021 youth manifesto will allow young people to truly lead the way in championing the issues that young people care about.”
Edinburgh Northern & Leith MSYP Terri Smith added: “This is our fifth manifesto since we were established in 1999 and back in 2010 we received 42,804 responses to the consultation making it the largest youth consultation in Scotland.
“We have high hopes of doubling the figures from 2010 whilst making sure as many young people aged 12-25 in Edinburgh have their say.
“I’m now the Scottish Youth Parliament current longest serving member so have high hopes for what’ll be my last term as a MSYP. Over the past six years I’ve developed a real passion for ensuring Scotland’s most vulnerable and disenfranchised young people have their say – particularly the young people of Edinburgh Northern and Leith (the constituency I represent).
“Our manifesto is called ‘Lead the Way’ and you can view the online version here https://www.surveymonkey.
the official hashtag is #thewayto2021
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