In 2015 the Scottish Government commissioned Children in Scotland, Young Scot and the Scottish Youth Parliament to work with young people to co-design recommendations for the Year of Young People 2018.
The partnership recruited and supported an interim planning group of 18 young people aged eight to 22 to work with their peers and stakeholders and report their recommendations.
The final report set out four themes for the Year of Young People 2018:
- Participation – looking at how young people can influence public services and decisions which affect their lives.
- Education – creating a stronger role for young people in shaping their learning.
- Health and Wellbeing – supporting young people to lead healthier, active lives and have opportunities to learn about and improve their mental health and resilience.
- Equality and Discrimination – broadcasting the values of young Scots, challenging negative perceptions of young people, and supporting young people to take leading roles in challenging discrimination in all its forms.
In addition to this, the 2018 Year of Young People Advisory Board agreed two further themes should be included to highlight to additional areas important to young Scots.
- Enterprise and Regeneration – celebrating young people’s role in innovation, entrepreneurship and Scottish economy as well as making Scotland a greener and more pleasant place to live.
- Culture – celebrating young people’s talent and contribution to Scottish culture and arts.
