SYP Weekly Update 146
10th June 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
- Let us know you're coming!
- Final call for SYP Subject Committee Conveners and Deputies
UK and International
- Survey: young people and the media
- Sometimes ordinary people do extraordinary things
Communications
- ‘see me’ Photography Competition
Policy
- W-WEST & The Plain Truth
- Adopt an MP
General
- 'Trade Your Way to the USA'
- Survey: Sun Safety
NOTE: Some of the opportunities mentioned in the Weekly Update may apply only to Members of the Scottish Youth Parliament (MSYPs). Please email francesca.l@syp.org.uk for guidance.
Let us know you're coming!
We hope you’re as excited as we are about the June Sitting! And if you haven't already booked your place make sure you do by tomorrow Friday 11th June at the very latest. All you need to do is tell your support worker and they'll sort out the rest!
If you have any questions about the June Sitting please get in touch with Kate Bouchier-Hayes on 0131 313 2488 or kate.b@syp.org.uk.
Support workers you can download you sitting attendance form by clicking here and heading to the bottom of the page.
Final call for SYP Subject Committee Conveners and Deputies
Unfortunately not enough nominations have been received for Conveners and Deputies to date. We have therefore decided to extend the deadline for nominations for SYP Subject Committee Conveners and Deputies, hoorah I hear some of you say!
Subject Committee Conveners have a crucial role in the SYP. The ten successful candidates will facilitate meetings of their committee at Sittings and together will form the Conveners Group which directs the policy and campaigning work of the organisation.
Please consider nominating yourself for election as a Convener or a Deputy, which you can do by visiting www.syp.org.uk/convenerelections2010.htm for more information and a nomination pack. This should be returned to Steven Kidd at steven.k@syp.org.uk or by post no later than 9am on Monday 14th June.
Please note that applications for the Board positions (Chair, Vice Chair, Trustee) have now closed as scheduled.
If you have any further questions, or you are interested in standing as a candidate, please contact your support worker or the SYP Office. Good luck to all candidates!
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Survey: young people and the media
Six young people from across the UK have been selected to represent the UK, at the World Summit on Media for Children and Youth taking place between 14-18 June, in Sweden. The Summit is the largest global event with over 1500 media experts and young people present to debate and produce recommendations to the media on a global scale by taking into consideration issues such as representation, education, economics, law, ethics and responsibilities.
The young people from the UK will make up the UK Youth Media Council and will be working alongside young people from other countries across the world to produce new recommendations for improving the media for children and young people. They have come up with a few recommendations; one is for an International Children and Youth Media Day. They urgently need young people to fill in their survey (2 minutes) to gather the views and opinions of how young people think about the media in the UK.
Click here to take the survey.
Sometimes ordinary people do extraordinary things
They may not wear masks or capes, but every day young heroes across the UK make a difference to the lives of others.
The British Red Cross annual Humanitarian Citizen Awards celebrate the contribution that young individuals and groups make to the lives of others.
You have until 23 July to make your nominations for this year's awards. There are four categories to choose from for both individuals and groups: first aid, volunteering, community action and fundraising.
Check out more by clicking here.
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‘see me’ Photography Competition
The competition is open to anyone living in Scotland who is interested in taking photographs whether you are a complete beginner, someone with a keen interest or an experienced photographer.
This year's theme is 'Support' and is open to your own interpretation. We all give and receive support as we go about our everyday lives - from family, friends, neighbours, teachers, colleagues and everyone in between. We encourage you to use your imagination and personal experiences as well as the objects and surrounding environment to illustrate the theme and use images to make the links with mental health.
You could be a shutter-click away from being one of this year's prize winners while helping 'see me' to tackle mental health stigma and discrimination, so please have a go at entering and encourage your family and friends to do so too. Check out the full story on how to get involved by clicking here!
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W-WEST & The Plain Truth
W-WEST (Why Waste Everything Smoking Tobacco?) is Scotland’s first pro-choice smoking information movement, led by young people, for young people. The group aims to give young people the facts about smoking and enable them to make informed choices. The group has a fun interactive website http://www.w-west.org.uk/ where young people can find out more about W-WEST, leave messages, find out facts about smoking and the tobacco industry, find local smoking cessation support and watch smoking related videos.
W-WEST are working to raise awareness of how the tobacco industry uses marketing and ‘cool’ packaging to attract young smokers to their brands. The campaign is entitled ‘The Plain Truth’ and W-WEST will be promoting it throughout the Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board area by holding their own events and attending community events.
As part of this campaign, W-WEST has collaborated with Dr. Crawford Moodie from the University of Stirling’s Centre for Tobacco Control Research to carry out a survey aiming to explore young people’s views on this issue. To take part in the survey just click here. The survey will help inform the Scottish Government of the impact that tobacco packaging has on young people.
The survey is aimed at all young people aged 10 – 17, and in return for completing it, young people are offered the chance to enter a prize draw to win an iPod shuffle, X Box or cinema vouchers.
'Auchterarder Audit'
Five years on from the iconic Make Poverty History events and the G8 summit in Gleneagles we know that poverty isn't history but what has changed? Which promises were kept and which weren't? What changed as a result and what still needs to happen? And how can you be part of taking the next steps to end global poverty?
To find out come along to Oxfam Scotland's 'Auchterarder Audit', in the village that was at the heart of the global meeting five years ago. Leading campaigners from Scotland and further afield will lead discussions and workshops on issues such as aid, debt, trade justice and climate change, as well as sending a strong message to this year's G8 in Canada that they will need to keep their Gleneagles promises.
Saturday 26th June, Auchterarder Community Church
To book your place or for more information please contact Sara at scowan@oxfam.org.uk or 0141 285 8874, busses from Edinburgh and Glasgow will be running but places are limited so please book in advance.
Adopt an MP
Adopt an MP is as simple as it sounds. The UK Youth Climate Coalition aim to get 650 young people from every constituency in the UK to adopt their local MP and track them as they try to make climate change their top priority. With a wave of first time MPs and a new coalition government there is the energy within Parliament for this to work and it’s the perfect time to tell our story and inspire our MPs into action. This is not a traditional campaign with a set outcome and agenda. This is about people and creating a real and lasting relationship that will be different for every person involved.
For more information, go to: http://adoptanmp.ukycc.org/
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'Trade Your Way to the USA'
'Trade Your Way to the USA' is a brand new show for CBBC in which 14 groups of 3 11-14 year olds compete to become the best traders! Every week two teams will go head to head as they are given a fixed amount of money to purchase items and sell on for a profit. The final two teams will travel to the USA in a bit to be crowned top traders!
Using enterprise, creativity and a good dose of mathematics, 14 groups of three young people will be competing against each other to trade on items they use every day. Whether it's toys, video games or household objects, each group will set out to hunt down a bargain and sell it on for a profit. They'll learn to value each item, considering crucial aspects such as antique value and demand.
To find out more on how to get involved click here.
Survey: Sun Safety
With summer kicking off in the UK (touch wood) people are making the most of it, by getting out and enjoying the suns warming rays on our bodies. But are you protecting yourself from the suns harmful rays? What's your attitude to sun safety?
Skin cancer is one of the fastest growing cancers in the UK and cases amongst young people have doubled in the last 20 years. Many people don’t realise it is the damage done to the skin in early years that can lead to skin cancer in later life. Spare two mins and fill in the Teenage Cancer Trust sun safety survey by clicking here.
Or to find out how to protect yourself in the sun this summer check out the NHS FAQ’s.
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