About SYP

The SYP began just over ten years ago in 1999 and is getting stronger every year. We listen to young people and understand what issues are important to them and then campaign to try to make Scotland a better place for young people.

Our vision is of a stronger, more inclusive Scotland that empowers young people by truly involving them in the decision making process. We do this through our Members (MSYPs) who are elected young people aged between 14- 25 representing different areas and voluntary organisations from across the whole of Scotland. Every year we have at least three national meetings where we discuss issues which affect young people and try to propose new and sometimes radical solutions to these problems.

The SYP doesn’t just consult when it wants to, we are keen that you can tell us what you think at any time and have established many ways to make this happen. Aside from the local consultation through our Members, we regularly go out to schools, youth events and have several social networking sites to engage with as many young people as possible on issues. By doing so our democratically elected members listen to and recognise the issues that are most important to young people, and ensure that their voices are heard by decision makers by representing them at a national level.

We encourage all of Scotland’s young people to play their part in achieving our vision and provide a national platform for their participation in democracy. Working towards our aims, we promote the following values:

Democracy

All of our plans and activities are youth-led, and we are accountable to young people aged 14-25. Our democratic structure, and the scale of direct participation across Scotland, gives us strength and sets us apart from other organisations.

Inclusion

We are committed to being truly inclusive. The Scottish Youth Parliament believes that all young people have the right to a voice, it doesn’t matter who we are or where they come from. We celebrate our diversity.

Political Independence

We are independent from political parties, however only by working with all legitimate political parties can we make progress on the policies that are important to young people.

Passion

We believe that drive and energy are key to successful campaigning. We are passionate about the issues raised to us and believe that young people are part of the solution, not the problem.

Need more info?

If you are a young person interested in making your opinion count, then check out the Get Involved section of this site. If you don't quite qualify as a young person, but want to support the work of the organisation then check out the Working with Us section.

Also in this Section

• The SYP is a limited company and you can find out more about the legal stuff (including our latest accounts) in the Company Information section.
• Find out about the young people who make up our Board of Trustees here.
• Find out a bit more on the staff who the young people have employed to help them achieve their objectives in the Our Staff section.
• The SYP has 10 Subject Committees, headed by a Convener, who react to policy developments in particular areas and take the lead on consultations related to their remit - find out what they do here.
• Finally, check out how it all fits together in the Organisational Structure section.