SYP Weekly Update 125
7th January 2010
Find out more about what's happening in the SYP in our weekly updates, click on the section title to take you to more information for each of the articles...
List
Events
Communications
UK and International
- General assembly proclaims 2010 international year of youth to encourage dialogue, understanding across generations
Policy
- SYP Campaign Success as Prescription Charges lowered
General
NOTE: Some of the opportunities mentioned in the Weekly Update may apply only to Members of the Scottish Youth Parliament (MSYPs). Please email rob.g@scottishyouthparliament.org.uk for guidance.
Last chance to Have your say in Parliament with a Members Motion!
Members Motions have been a real highlight of the last few Sittings and they just got better – by sharing your views you could have your issue discussed in the Scottish Parliament!
The SYP has teamed up with the Scottish Parliament’s Public Petitions Committee in a move which will see MSYPs submit a series of petitions to the Committee in 2010….with two of them forming part of a special meeting of the Committee as part of a future SYP Sitting!
The Public Petitions Committee is admired by other countries as an example of how ordinary people can make a real change – every petition submitted gets heard by a committee of MSPs who can recommend that issues get discussed by the full Parliament.
In the past ordinary people’s petitions have led to the law being changed and Scotland’s decision-makers taking real action on their chosen issue! You could join them – by submitting a Members Motion…
We’re hoping to base the petitions MSYPs submit on Members Motions that have the support of the SYP. So if you want to take this extremely exciting opportunity to make a real difference on an issue that’s close to your heart, get in touch with Rob Gowans on 0131 313 2488 or rob.g@scottishyouthparliament.org.uk with your issue.
All you need is an idea, we can help you turn it into a motion. The closing date for entries is Monday 11th January. The SYP Conveners Group will decide what motions go forward for debate at the March Sitting.
For more about Members Motions, check out our handy guide to them by clicking here.
Commonwealth Video Contest! WIN stuff and be heard...
The Commonwealth Secretariat, representing an association of 54 member states, including the UK, has launched an online video contest to showcase the talents of young speakers and performers. This is an awesome opportunity to get expressive, and show them what you can do, and what makes you unique.
The most original, inspiring or entertaining video will earn the prestigious Best Commonwealth Video title and win either a netbook computer or an iPod Touch (you choose!).
The singer, musician, dancer or band responsible for the best musical video will be crowned Best Commonwealth Band/Artist and receive £200 worth of Amazon vouchers.
Entrants should either:
- Perform a song,
- Highlight an issue (peace, climate change, democracy, human rights, education, health, youth issues or anything else), or
- Talk about themselves, their hobbies, friends, family, home country or local community.
The deadline is 26 February 2010 and the winners, judged by a panel of experts, will be announced on Commonwealth Day (8 March 2010).
To find out more hop on over to their website and check out the latest entrants videos and find out more about how to enter http://yourcommonwealth.org/.
2Young2Die campaign competition! Enter now!
If you are aged between 11 and 25 and want to make a difference and save your generation’s lives on roads, then enter this competition and WIN BIG!
Road deaths are a huge killer of young people. Every day on British roads, 6 young people aged 12-19 are killed or seriously hurt on foot or bicycles, and 19 young people under 25 are killed or seriously hurt in cars.
You can work in a group of mates to stop the carnage by:
1. CAMPAIGN to raise awareness of deaths of young people on roads in your community. For example, you could… create a road safety video (you can click here to view some already produced by young people for Brake) or a road safety poster for your college/school, or hold a photo call about road safety for the local media, holding a road safety banner you’ve made, or run a road safety event such as a stand in a shopping centre where you carry out a road safety quiz and give out road safety advice. Or have your own brilliant idea!
2. COLLECT donations for Brake, the road safety charity, by fundraising and having fun at the same time. For example, you could hold a BrakeBright day where everyone in your school or college comes in wearing something crazily bright in return for a £1 donation to Brake. Or you could hold a karaoke night, or a sponsored danceathon. There are loads more ideas you will have too! (You must raise a minimum of £100, and the higher the amount, the stronger your entry!)
The winning team (and any teacher/tutor who led the team) who ran the best campaign and raised significant funds will win a trip to a special reception and ceremony in the Houses of Parliament and other goodies such as video cameras! Find out more on how to enter by clicking here.
RSA Scotland and WWF Scotland invite you to Values, Sustainability and the Citizen: Making the Cultural Shift event
We are increasingly bombarded with a wealth of (factual) depressing news about the global challenges we face. But research is showing this often does not inspire positive action – instead, it overwhelms people, creating despair and guilt, which can then lead to denial, apathy and confusion. How can real commitment to sustainability be fostered? What role can opinion leaders and those in public life play to bring about the shift in social values that are needed to meet the challenges we face?
You will be joined by Tom Crompton, – Change Strategist, WWF-UK and renowned co- author of Meeting Environmental Challenges: The Role of Human Identity , Dave Key, Footprint Consulting and facilitator of the WWF Natural Change Project and Emma Little, Learning & Workforce Development Officer, NHS Health Scotland and Natural Change Project participant, Chair- Louise Macdonald, Chief Executive Young Scot and Natural Change participant to discuss how to engage with values as a route towards a more sustainable future.
If you’re interested in joining the RSA and WWF on Wednesday, 10 February 2010, 5:45pm - 7:30 pm at the Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1SR for discussion, debate and light refreshments please register yourself by clicking here.
This is a free event but spaces are limited so sign up A.S.A.P!
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Chh-Chh-Chh-Changes
As you might have noticed there has been a few minor adjustments to the weekly update, but don’t panic they really are just minor. Firstly we have moved the day we send it out to all you folks from a Friday to a Thursday so don’t forget to check your inbox a day earlier than normal! You’ll also find a section has disappeared; FYI and General have combined into one section, just General. Also rather than holding onto our news for the week we will be keeping our Facebook content updated with the latest and hottest news from SYP HQ, so make sure you keep up to date by becoming a fan on our Facebook page, and if you’re not keen on signing up to Facebook, you don’t even need to be a member to view our posts, all you need to do is click hereand you get access to our fabby page!
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General assembly proclaims 2010 international year of youth to encourage dialogue, understanding across generations
In efforts to highlight their contribution to society and help address the challenges they face, the United Nations is dedicating a year to young people by proclaiming 2010 the International Year of Youth, commencing on 12 August 2010.
Under the theme “Dialogue and Mutual Understanding”, the Year will aim at encouraging dialogue and understanding across generations. It will promote the ideals of peace, respect for human rights and freedoms, as well as solidarity. It will also aim to encourage young people to dedicate themselves to achieving the objectives of progress and development, including the Millennium Development Goals. Find out more by heading over to their website by clicking here.
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SYP Campaign Success as Prescription Charges lowered
On Wednesday 6th January, one of the SYP’s campaign from “Our Scotland” succeeded with the Scottish Government’s announcement that the cost of prescription charges will fall from £4 to £3 from April, with a view to scrapping them completely next year. This leaves us well on course to see one of the ambitions over 6,000 young people told us should happen become a reality!
In 2007, 77% of young people agreed that “every young person in Scotland under the age of 25 should be entitled to free prescriptions” and we took on the campaign with the Health Committee even travelling to Wales, to find out how the National Assembly there went about making prescription charges, known as “a tax on the sick” a thing of the past.
It’s great to hear politicians listening to, and acting on the views of young people, and shows how while change might not happen overnight, a little bit of hard work can make a real difference to the lives of young people in Scotland! Well done to everyone involved in making this dream become a reality.
Back to List We need your stories!
We’re always looking to hear about what you’ve been getting up to in your areas as an MSYP, so don’t leave us in the dark if you’ve been busy doing fantabulous things, yes I did just say fantabulous things! Drop an email to francesca.l@scottishyouthparliament.org.uk by midday on a Wednesday and we might feature your story in the weekly update!
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