Scottish Youth Parliament
{{Short description|Scottish youth-led, democratic organisation}}
{{EngvarB|date=June 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2018}}
{{Infobox organization
| name = The Scottish Youth Parliament
| native_name = Pàrlamaid Òigridh na h-Alba
| native_name_lang = gd
| logo = Scottish Youth Parliament logo.jpg
| nickname = SYP
| formation = 30 June 1999
| location = Edinburgh, Scotland
| Head of Charity = Ellie Craig, Chair of Board
| leader_title = Chair
| leader_name = Ellie Craig
| leader_title2 = Vice-Chair
| leader_name2 = Olivia Brown
| board_of_directors = Beau Johnston, Alannah Louge, Tamsin Gold, Daniela Onyewuenyi, Shafa Waqas, Maya McCrae
| website = https://syp.org.uk
| headquarters = Edinburgh
| fields = Youth Empowerment
Youth Representation
| homepage = {{URL|syp.org.uk}}
}}
The Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP) ({{langx|gd|Pàrlamaid Òigridh na h-Alba}}) is a youth-led, democratic organisation which aims to represent the young people of Scotland.
The SYP is made up of around 166 democratically elected representatives aged 14–25 from across Scotland.{{cite press release |url=http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/newsandmediacentre/25076.aspx |title=Holyrood welcomes back Scottish Youth Parliament |publisher=Scottish Parliament |date=22 October 2010 |access-date=1 March 2016}}{{Cite web |title=Home |url=https://syp.org.uk/ |access-date=2022-08-07 |website=Scottish Youth Parliament |language=en-US}} Representatives are known as Members of the Scottish Youth Parliament (MSYPs). The SYP uses the Scottish Parliamentary constituency structure to elect its members, with elections generally taking place every two years - every constituency area elects two MSYPs using the Single Transferable Vote electoral system. Over 71,000 votes were cast in the 2019 SYP elections.
Around 22 MSYPs represent Voluntary Organisations such as The Boys Brigade, Scouts Scotland, LGBT Youth Scotland and Haggeye instead of constituencies. These MSYPs are directly elected by the Organisations they represent.
The SYP meets three times a year at events called sittings. These usually take place in different Scottish Local Authorities, but were held online between 2020 and 2022 due to COVID-19. SYP returned to in-person sittings in July 2022 with SYP77 being held in Cumbernauld{{cite web |title=SYP77 |url=https://twitter.com/OfficialSYP/status/1543161182109974528?s=20 |website=Twitter |access-date=29 July 2023}}
The four core values of the SYP are rights, democracy, inclusion and political impartiality. SYP is non-party political, which means MSYPs do not organise themselves along party lines within the Youth Parliament. All MSYPs essentially sit as independents to avoid partisan politics interfering with their representation of young people, however allegations of a "cliquey culture" and bias towards certain parties has been levied against the majority of the membership, especially the youth leadership.{{cite web |title=Scottish Daily Express |url=https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/impartial-scottish-youth-parliament-labelled-28337136 |publisher=Scottish Daily Express |access-date=9 October 2024}}
Campaigns
The SYP campaigns on various issues which affect Scotland's young people.{{Cite web |title=Campaigns |url=https://syp.org.uk/our-work/campaigns/ |access-date=2022-08-07 |website=Scottish Youth Parliament |date=9 September 2019 |language=en-US}}
It has been an advocate for Votes at 16 since its inception in 1999 and has campaigned for it ever since, notably ensuring that Young People aged 16 and 17 could vote in the Referendum on Scottish Independence in 2014.{{Cite web |title=Votes at 16 |url=https://syp.org.uk/campaign/votes-at-16/ |access-date=2022-08-07 |website=Scottish Youth Parliament |date=June 2012 |language=en-US}}
SYP has campaigned on a range of issues: from its campaign to achieve Equal Marriage – Love Equally - to their Young Carers Campaign – Care. Fair. Share.
SYP's 2017-18 campaign - Right Here Right Now{{Cite web |title=Right Here, Right Now |url=https://syp.org.uk/campaign/right-here-right-now/ |access-date=2022-08-07 |website=Scottish Youth Parliament |date=10 June 2017 |language=en-US}} - centred on improving the protection of young people's rights in Scotland, and was successful in securing a commitment from the First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, that the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) would be incorporated into Scots Law.
The Scottish Youth Parliament's 2018–2019 campaign was "All Aboard",{{Cite web |title=All Aboard |url=https://syp.org.uk/campaign/all-aboard/ |access-date=2022-08-07 |website=Scottish Youth Parliament |date=10 November 2018 |language=en-US}} which sought to improve young people's experiences of public transport in Scotland.
At the July 2019 Sitting of the Scottish Youth Parliament, MSYPs choose environmental protection and climate change as their next national campaign. The campaign was named "Pack it Up, Pack it In",{{Cite web |title=Pack it up, Pack it in |url=https://syp.org.uk/campaign/pack-it-up-pack-it-in/ |access-date=2022-08-07 |website=Scottish Youth Parliament |date=17 September 2019 |language=en-US}} and was formally launched in October 2019.
In October 2020, it was decided by the organisation that the next national campaign will focus on a rights-based approach to the COVID-19 Pandemic recovery in Scotland. This campaign was titled 'Bounce Back'.{{Cite web |title=Bounce Back |url=https://syp.org.uk/campaign/bounce-back/ |access-date=2022-08-07 |website=Scottish Youth Parliament |date=10 December 2020 |language=en-US}}
In March 2022 MSYPs voted on 4 campaign priorities for the 2021-2023 membership. The four campaign priorities were; Right to Food, Climate Crisis, Educational Attainment and Drug Misuse as a Public Health Issue.{{Cite web |title=Campaign Priorities|url=https://syp.org.uk/campaign/national-campaign-priorities/ |access-date=2023-07-29 |website=Scottish Youth Parliament |date=23 September 2022 |language=en-US}}
The 2021-2023 campaign priorities were followed in March 2024 with the selection of three new national campaigns for the 2023-2025 membership.{{cite web | url=https://syp.org.uk/msyps-select-new-national-campaigns/ | title=MSYPs select new national campaigns - Scottish Youth Parliament | date=7 May 2024 }} The campaigns selected were "Increase mental health training and education", "Invest in and protect youth work services" and "End gender-based violence" and where selected following consultation by MSYPs with over 4000 young people from across Scotland.
Governance
The Board are responsible for the strategic direction of the organisation and are officially the charity's legal custodians.{{Cite web|title=Who is in charge?|url=https://syp.org.uk/about-syp/who-is-in-charge/|access-date=2021-01-25|website=Scottish Youth Parliament|date=9 September 2019 |language=en-US}}
The charity is supported by a Staff Team of 13.{{Cite web|title=Our staff team|url=https://syp.org.uk/about-syp/our-staff-team/|access-date=2021-01-25|website=Scottish Youth Parliament|language=en-US}}
The current chief executive officer and company general secretary is Jamie Dunlop.{{cite web |title=Jamie Dunlop Appointment |url=https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/officers/RsZPtfMYRADmQVWublc6tB1PVNg/appointments |website=Companies House |access-date=29 July 2023}}
As the organisation is youth-led the chair, vice-chair and trustees are all young people. They are democratically elected during SYP's Annual General Meeting by the membership of that term.{{cite web | url=https://syp.org.uk/about-syp/who-is-in-charge/boards-and-advisers/ | title=Board and Advisers | date=9 September 2019 }} The Current Chair is Ellie Craig MSYP, and the current vice-chair is Olivia Brown MSYP. The Board of Trustees consists of the chair, vice-chair, and; Beau Johnston MSYP, Alannah Logue MSYP, Tamsin Gold MSYP, Daniela Onyewuenyi MSYP and Shafa Waqas MSYP. Maya McCrae MSYP, Convener of the Health, Wellbeing and Sport Committee, serves as Convener's Trustee.{{cite web | url=https://syp.org.uk/about-syp/who-is-in-charge/boards-and-advisers/ | title=Board - Scottish Youth Parliament | date=9 September 2019 }} The 2024-2025 Board is SYP's first-ever all-female Board of Trustees.
| class="wikitable"
|+Current SYP Board !Name !Constituency !Board Role !Portfolio |
| Ellie Craig MSYP
|Glasgow Cathcart |Chair |To be announced |
| Olivia Brown MSYP
|Midlothian North and Musselburgh |Vice-chair |To be announced |
| Beau Johnston MSYP
|Glasgow Anniesland |Trustee |To be announced |
| Alannah Logue MSYP
|Na h-Eileanan an Iar |Trustee |To be announced |
| Tamsin Gold MSYP
|Falkirk West |Trustee |To be announced |
| Daniela Onyewuenyi MSYP
|Paisley |Trustee |To be announced |
| Shafa Waqas MSYP
|Cumbernauld and Kilsyth |Trustee |To be announced |
| Maya McCrae MSYP
|Greenock and Inverclyde |Convener's Trustee |To be announced |
History
The group has previously held meetings in the General Assembly Rooms (former temporary home of the Scottish Parliament) in Edinburgh{{cite press release |url=http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/nmcentre/news/news-02/pa02-062.htm |title=Photocall and public meeting: Scottish Youth Parliament meeting in Scottish Parliament chamber for first time |publisher=Scottish Parliament |date=23 August 2002 |access-date=1 November 2008}}) and also within the new Scottish Parliament building,{{cite press release |url=http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/newsandmediacentre/25998.aspx |title=Youth Parliament To Sit at Holyrood |publisher=Scottish Parliament |date=28 February 2008 |access-date=1 March 2016}} most recently in 2024.{{cite news |newspaper=The Herald |url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/24702694.msyps-enjoy-first-holyrood-session-nearly-decade/|title=MSYPs enjoy first Holyrood session in nearly a decade|date=5 November 2024|first=Bethel|last=Tesfay}}
Partner organisations
The Scottish Youth Parliament works in partnership with many other organisations, including:
- The Scottish Government
- The Scottish Parliament and its members
- Scottish local authorities
- UK Youth Parliament
- Welsh Youth Parliament
- Children and Young People's Commissioner for Scotland
- YouthLink Scotland
- Young Scot
- Together: The Scottish Alliance for Children's Rights
- Highland Youth Voice
- British Youth Council
Chairs
{{More citations needed section|date=March 2011}}
The Chair of SYP is elected, usually annually, by MSYPs.{{Cite web|title=Board and Advisers|url=https://syp.org.uk/about-syp/who-is-in-charge/boards-and-advisers/|access-date=2021-01-25|website=Scottish Youth Parliament|date=9 September 2019 |language=en-US}}
A normal term of service is twelve months, although some Chairs have served for longer periods of time for reasons such as a delay in the SYP elections, and some for shorter periods of time for reasons such as resignation.
The Chair of SYP is a voluntary position and is unpaid.
The Chair convenes and facilitates meetings of the Board and the full Scottish Youth Parliament. They are also the primary ambassador of SYP to the public.
There have, to date, been 21 Chairs of SYP since 2000.
Chief Executive Officers
{{More citations needed section|date=March 2011}}
| class="toccolours" border="2" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=2 style="text-align:center; border-collapse:collapse;" |
| colspan=4| CEOs
! Years of Office ! Name ! Time Served |
| 2002 - 2003
| Alan Gemmell | 11 Months |
| 2003 - 2004
| Stephen Bermingham | 9 Months |
| 2004 - 2006
| Derek Millar | 1 Year, 11 Months |
| 2006 - 2008
| Kelly Chambers | 1 Year, 5 Months |
| 2008 - 2010
| Ann Brown | 2 Years, 5 Months |
| Sept 2010 - June 2011
| Interim CEO | 7 Months |
| 2011 - 2015
| Hamira Khan | 4 Years, 1 Month |
| 2015 - 2023
| Ben McKendrick |
| 2023–Present
| Jamie Dunlop | Current CEO |
Current Membership
The current composition of MSYP's for the 2023-2025 membership can be found below:
https://syp.org.uk/syp-elections-2023-results/
Alumni
Ross Greer, Green MSP for the West of Scotland and the youngest MSP ever elected to the Scottish Parliament{{Cite web|title=Ross Greer MSP|url=https://greens.scot/ross-greer-msp|access-date=2021-01-26|website=Scottish Greens|language=en}} (2016–present), is a former MSYP.
Danielle Rowley, former Labour MP for Midlothian (2017–19), is a former MSYP.{{Cite web|date=2009-11-10|title=About Me|url=https://daniellerowleymsyp.wordpress.com/about-dani/|access-date=2021-01-26|website=Dani Speaks Up|language=en}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website}}
{{Youth empowerment}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Youth empowerment organizations
Category:1999 establishments in Scotland
Category:Youth organisations based in Scotland
Category:Youth-led organizations
Category:Youth model government
Category:Political organisations based in the United Kingdom