Scottish Youth Parliament

The Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP) (Scottish Gaelic: Pàrlamaid Òigridh na h-Alba) is a youth-led, democratic organisation which aims to represent the young people of Scotland.

The Scottish Youth Parliament
Scottish Gaelic: Pàrlamaid Òigridh na h-Alba
NicknameSYP
Formation30 June 1999
HeadquartersEdinburgh
Location
FieldsYouth Empowerment
Youth Representation
Chair
Mollie McGoran
Vice-Chair
Ellie Craig
Emma Prach, Olivia Brown, Marcus Flucker, Crisantos Ike, Beau Johnston, Daniel Molloy
Websitehttps://syp.org.uk

The SYP is made up of around 166 democratically-elected representatives aged 14–25 from across Scotland.[1][2] 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 have been online since early 2020 due to COVID-19.

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.

Campaigns

The SYP campaigns on various issues which affect Scotland's young people.[3]

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.[4]

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[5] - 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",[6] 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",[7] 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'.[8]

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.

Governance

The Board are responsible for the strategic direction of the organisation and are officially the charity's legal custodians.[9]

The charity is supported by a Staff Team of 10.[10]

The current Chief Executive Officer and company general secretary is Ben McKendrick. The current Deputy Chief Executive Officer is Jamie Dunlop.

As the organisation is youth-led the chair, vice-chair and trustees are young people. They are democratically elected during SYP's Annual General Meeting by the membership of that term.[11] The Current Chair is Mollie McGoran MSYP, and the current Vice-Chair is Ellie Craig MSYP. The board of trustees consists of the Chair, Vice-Chair, and; Crisantos Ike MSYP,[12] Beau Johnston MSYP, Emma Prach MSYP,[13] Marcus Flucker MSYP, Daniel Molloy MSYP, and Olivia Brown MSYP. [14]

Current SYP Board
Name Constituency Board Role Portfolio Regional Responsibility
Mollie McGoran Inverness and Nairn Chair Not Yet Announced for 2023-2024 Term -
Ellie Craig Glasgow Cathcart Vice-Chair Not Yet Announced for 2023-2024 Term -
Emma Prach Cumbernauld and Kilsyth Trustee Not Yet Announced for 2023-2024 Term -
Crisantos Ike Rutherglen Trustee Not Yet Announced for 2023-2024 Term -
Olivia Brown Midlothian North and Musselburgh Trustee Not Yet Announced for 2023-2024 Term -
Beau Johnston Edinburgh Central Trustee Not Yet Announced for 2023-2024 Term -
Marcus Flucker Angus South Trustee Not Yet Announced for 2023-2024 Term -
Daniel Molloy Glasgow Provan Convener's Trustee Not Yet Announced for 2023-2024 Term -

History

The group has previously held meetings in the General Assembly Rooms (former temporary home of the Scottish Parliament) in Edinburgh[15]) and also within the new Scottish Parliament building.,[16] most recently in 2017.

Partner organisations

The Scottish Youth Parliament works in partnership with many other organisations, including:

Chairs

The Chair of SYP is elected, usually annually, by MSYPs.[17]

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 the primary ambassador of SYP to the public.

There have, to date, been 21 Chairs of SYP since 2000.

Number Years of Office Name Constituency/Voluntary Organisation Notes
1 2000–2001 Steven Jack STUC Youth Committee First officially noted Chair of the Scottish Youth Parliament,

First of three Chairs representing a voluntary organisation

2 2001–2002 Katrina Greig Hamilton North and Bellshill
3 2002–2004 Steven Kidd Motherwell and Wishaw Served two terms as Chair - first Chair to do so
4 2004–2005 Paul Kane Glasgow Springburn
5 2005–2007 Rajiv Joshi Glasgow Govan Served two terms as Chair
6 2007–2008 John Loughton[18] Edinburgh North and Leith Founder and CEO of youth charity Dare2Lead,[19]

Named 'Outstanding Youth of the World' 2013,[20]

Winner of Big Brother Celebrity Hijack 2008[21]

7 2008 Kieran Collins Edinburgh South
8 2009 Sam Kerr LGBT Youth Scotland Second Chair to represent a voluntary organisation
9 2009–2011 Derek Couper Livingston Served two terms as Chair
10 2011–2013 Grant Costello East Kilbride Served two terms as Chair,

SNP Westminster Digital Media Manager,[22]

Stood to be the SNP's candidate in East Kilbride in the 2021 Scottish Parliament

Elections[23]

11 2013–2014 Kyle Thornton Glasgow Southside Former Conservative Councillor for Newlands/Auldburn ward on Glasgow City Council[24]
12 2014–2015 Louise Cameron Moray First Chair to represent a constituency outwith the central belt
13 2015–2016 Jordan Linden Uddingston and Bellshill Depute Leader of the SNP group on North Lanarkshire Council[25]
14 2016 Katie Burke North East Fife
15 2016–2017 Terri Smith Edinburgh Northern and Leith
16 2017–2018 Amy Lee Fravioli Rutherglen Stood in the 2019 European Elections as a Labour candidate in Scotland[26]
17 2018–2019 Suki Wan Glasgow Shettleston
18 2019–2020 Jack Dudgeon Eastwood Term as Chair extended due to COVID-19 pandemic
19 2020–2022 Josh Kennedy Renfrewshire North and West
20 2022-2023 Sophie Reid[27][28] Girlguiding Scotland Third Chair to represent a voluntary organisation
21 2023-Incumbent Mollie McGoran Inverness and Nairn First Chair from the Scottish Highlands

[29]

Chief Executive Officers
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 – Incumbent Ben McKendrick 7 Years, 10 Months [30]

[31]

Alumni

Ross Greer, Green MSP for the West of Scotland and the youngest MSP ever elected to the Scottish Parliament[32] (2016–present), is a former MSYP.

Danielle Rowley, former Labour MP for Midlothian (2017–19), is a former MSYP.[33]

See also

References
  1. "Holyrood welcomes back Scottish Youth Parliament" (Press release). Scottish Parliament. 22 October 2010. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  2. "Home". Scottish Youth Parliament. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  3. "Campaigns". Scottish Youth Parliament. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  4. "Votes at 16". Scottish Youth Parliament. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  5. "Right Here, Right Now". Scottish Youth Parliament. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  6. "All Aboard". Scottish Youth Parliament. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  7. "Pack it up, Pack it in". Scottish Youth Parliament. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  8. "Bounce Back". Scottish Youth Parliament. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  9. "Who is in charge?". Scottish Youth Parliament. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  10. "Our staff team". Scottish Youth Parliament. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  11. "Board and Advisers".
  12. "Crisantos Ike MSYP".
  13. "Emma Prach MSYP".
  14. "Olivia Brown MSYP".
  15. "Photocall and public meeting: Scottish Youth Parliament meeting in Scottish Parliament chamber for first time" (Press release). Scottish Parliament. 23 August 2002. Retrieved 1 November 2008.
  16. "Youth Parliament To Sit at Holyrood" (Press release). Scottish Parliament. 28 February 2008. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  17. "Board and Advisers". Scottish Youth Parliament. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  18. Dyke, Peter (3 January 2008). "Big Brother: Meet the contestants". Dailystar.co.uk. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  19. "My Story". John loughton. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  20. "My Story". John loughton. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  21. "My Story". John loughton. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  22. "Top SNP staffer Grant Costello throws hat into ring to be MSP candidate". The National. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  23. "Top SNP staffer Grant Costello throws hat into ring to be MSP candidate". The National. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  24. "Councillor Kyle Thornton". glasgow.gov.uk. 10 May 2018. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  25. "North Lanarkshire Council". mars.northlanarkshire.gov.uk. 24 August 2009. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  26. "Amy Lee Fraioli for Scotland in the European Parliament (UK) elections". Who Can I Vote For? by Democracy Club. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  27. "Companies House Sophie Reid Appointment". 28 October 2020.
  28. "Board and Advisers". Scottish Youth Parliament. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  29. "Board Members". Scottish Youth Parliament. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
  30. "Ben MCKENDRICK personal appointments - Find and update company information - GOV.UK".
  31. "Board Members". Scottish Youth Parliament. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
  32. "Ross Greer MSP". Scottish Greens. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  33. "About Me". Dani Speaks Up. 10 November 2009. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
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