Two Pupils Elected to Scottish Youth Parliament
Published on:
26
March 2013
Clackmannanshire has elected two new representatives to the Scottish Youth Parliament, the first from the area for several years.
Education Convener, Councillor Ellen Forson met the two third year Lornshill Academy pupils, who have become new young Parliamentarians this week. They are Robbie McIntosh and Morna Campbell, both aged 14.
Councillor Forson said: "I am delighted that Clackmannanshire will be represented in the Scottish Youth Parliament and in Robbie and Morna we have two excellent ambassadors who will do a great job representing the interests of local young people on what is an important national forum."
The Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP) is the democratically elected voice of Scotland's young people, a young people's parliament, designed by young people and led by young people for the benefit of young people.
Councillor Forson added: "The SYP is committed to ensuring young people are heard by the decision makers of Scotland and is determined to campaign on the issues which matter most to Scotland's youth."
Set up in 1999 the SYP provides a forum for young people aged 14 - 25 to enable them to represent and voice the issues of young people and campaign on those issues to make Scotland a better place for young people.
The SYP consists of 150 young people from 32 local authority areas. Each local authority area receives two seats each and the remaining seats are designated to national voluntary organisations.
To inform young people about the opportunity to become an MSYP presentations were made at assemblies in Lornshill Academy and Alloa Academy last autumn.
Originally seven young people approached with notes of interest and seven registered their interest as candidates with SYP.
Training for the candidates was held in January. Manifestos for the candidates were issued and eventually both Robbie and Morna were selected to represent Clackmannanshire on the SYP uncontested following the withdrawal of the other five candidates.
Robbie, from Sauchie, is also vice president of the Youth Rotary Club (Interact).
He said: "I wished to become one of the county's Youth Parliament Members as I would like to voice my own and many other young people's thoughts and opinions on education and many other issues.
"I believe in quality education and will endeavour to ensure that everyone has a voice. I stand for education and I stand for the youth of Clackmannanshire."
Morna, from Tullibody, said: "As a teenager I have got a lot out of life through my involvement in sport. I have become a more confident individual and gained experiences and opportunities that without sport I would never had the chance to do.
"I compete competitively in canoe slalom and have done for three years now and I regularly volunteer for a local canoe club which I find very rewarding.
"I show commitment by training all year round come hail, rain, sleet or snow and rarely the occasional glimpse of sunshine or the minus temperatures of Scotland. I believe others deserve similar opportunities."