Youth Voice
“Youth Voice”
“…means young people having a shared role in decision making, beyond simply having a say in the final outcome…Youth voice means having an important role in determining the question or problem, not just in determining the answer or solution”
Ref: www.earthforce.org
Youth Voice includes citizenship, participation & democracy activities, and will include Glasgow Youth Council, Scottish Youth Parliament, community budgeting and all support mechanism to empower young people to participate in their clubs, their schools and their communities.
Glasgow Youth Council
Glasgow Youth Council is a youth lead organisation directly supported by Glasgow Life.
Membership is open to any young person aged 12-25 who lives, studies or works in Glasgow, There are currently 60 members of GYC from representing young people from across the city.
For further information visit: https://www.glasgowyc.org/
Members of the Scottish Youth Parliament (MSYP’s)
The Scottish Youth Parliament is the democratically elected voice of Scotland’s young people. The Scottish Youth Parliament’s vision is of a stronger, more inclusive Scotland that empowers young people by truly involving them in the decision making process. This is accomplished through SYP’s members (MSYPs), who are elected young people aged between 14-25 representing different areas and voluntary organisations from across the whole of Scotland.
Role of an MSYP
The main areas that MSYP work concentrates on is consulting with young people about the issues important to them. They also attend 3 National Sittings a year, meet with officials and organisations, and promote SYP and young people’s issues through social media or by delivering sessions to other young people.
Constituencies
Glasgow has the largest number of MSYP’s across the whole of Scotland with a total of 16 MSYP’s, 2 in each of the 8 constituency areas.
www.syp.org.uk
For further information on either the GYC or MSYP’s e-mail: Alan Dick (Learning Services Coordinator): alan.dick@glasgowlife.org.uk
Statutory Background
The following pieces of legislation place requirements on public authorities in Scotland to account for the views of young people:
Children and Young People (Scotland) Act:
Part one places a new requirement on public authorities to take account of the views of young people. It states:
Public authorities must report on the steps taken to implement the UNCRC (every three years)
www.legislation.gov.uk/asp/2014/8/contents
Local Government in Scotland Act 2003
Part 2, Community Planning, which includes a duty for local authorities to consult “with such community bodies and other bodies as is appropriate” on how public services are planned or provided.
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asp/2003/1/pdfs/asp_20030001_en.pdf
United Nations Conventions on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC)
The First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon announced on 4th September that the principles of the UNCRC are now to be fully incorporated into Scottish Domestic Law with particular emphasis to Article 12, Respect for the views of the child:
“Every child has the right to express their views, feelings and wishes in all matters affecting them, and to have their view considered and taken seriously”