Our 83rd National Sitting took place in Paisley this past weekend, bringing MSYPs together to share their views on today’s most pressing issues.
It was a weekend full of energy and collaboration – Members from across Scotland connected with each other while debating what the future should look like for young people.
What’s more, we officially launched our brand-new manifesto: Dear Scotland’s Future. Written by young people, for young people, it sets out the priorities we’ll now take forward with decision-makers to ensure young people’s voices are heard at every level.
Here’s a look at what we’ve been up to this week – and don’t forget to follow us on our social media channels for the latest updates.
We have an exhibition in Parliament!
To find out the issues that matter most to young people across Scotland, we spoke to nearly 5,000 of them. Now that the manifesto is live, it’s our job as MSYPs to make sure the voices of those who took part in the consultation – and everyone else we represent – are taken seriously.
To do that, we’ve installed an exhibition at the Scottish Parliament this week, giving senior civil servants and MSPs the chance to familiarise themselves with the policies in the manifesto. So far, the feedback has been amazing. MSYPs have also started sending letters to their local MSPs to ensure they know what young people want to see happen over the next few years.
Have you read the manifesto yet? Check it out here.
We attended a Tax Conference with the Scottish Government
On Wednesday 10 September, a group of MSYPs took part in a national conference on taxation, organised by the Scottish Government.
The event brought together financial and business experts, policymakers, and young people to discuss how Scotland’s tax system should work in a devolved context. Our MSYPs contributed by sharing young people’s perspectives on fairness, sustainability, and how taxation decisions impact everyday life.
By engaging in these conversations, MSYPs ensured that the voices of young people were represented at the table, highlighting the importance of involving the next generation in shaping Scotland’s economic future.
We made it to the Scottish Government’s Chamber
MSYPs from the Transport, Environment, and Rural Affairs Committee were invited to witness a debate about issues around public transport in Scotland on Thursday, 11 September, in the Scottish Government’s chamber.
The initiative followed a motion submitted by MSYPs earlier this year, which highlighted the barriers young people face when accessing public transport in their local areas. In the motion, MSYPs also identified the lack of bus services and infrastructure as key obstacles to enjoying affordable and reliable transport across Scotland.
Watch the introduction to the debate on our YouTube channel here.
Our new strategy is live!
Last week, we also launched our new strategy, which will guide all our campaigns and shape our work in the years ahead. The document sets out our vision for Scotland, based on our new values:
- Youth-led – We empower young people to take the lead in all aspects of our work.
- Ambitious – We campaign for change to create a Scotland where young people are proud to grow up in.
- Bold – We defend young people’s rights and champion the issues that are most important to them.
- Inclusive – We create brave and safe spaces where young people of all backgrounds feel able to participate.
- Politically Impartial – This value surrounds all of our work to ensure our work is evidence-based and that the issues important to young people can be discussed and openly debated.
You can download our new strategy here.
