SYP Weekly Update 128
28th 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
- HOT OPPORTUNITY- Young UK Ambassadors
- Consultation on MP's Expenses
- Big Challenge Youth Leadership Team
- Win a trip to Sweden - Youth Media Summit
- Glasgow Youth Film Festival and Chew TV Presents: The ‘One Minute Movie Competition’
- FREE industry led scheme helps young people kick start their TV careers
- SYP Awards 2010
Policy
- SYP Tobacco Success!
- SYP pushes for plans to raise the drinking age to be dropped
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.
HOT OPPORTUNITY- Young UK Ambassadors
The Young UK Ambassadors is a partnership project between SYP, British Youth Council, UK Youth Parliament, Northern Ireland Youth Forum and Funky Dragon. We believe that young people from all four nations working together is the only way to make sure that the voices of UK young people are represented on a range of global issues.
We are looking for inspiring, passionate young people to represent the UK and take the views of young people to global decision-makers and forums.
If you are:
• An MSYP aged 16-25
• Able to attend one of our recruitment day in Edinburgh on the 26th or 27th February 2010
• Able to participate in a residential induction weekend from 26th-28th March 2010
• Able to commit to the project for 1 year
• Interested in global decision-making
• Willing to develop and share your skills and experience
If you answered yes to all of the above then you could be one of the Young UK Ambassadors for 2010!
For further information please contact Marie (marie.m@scottishyouthparliament.org.uk, 0131 313 2488). You can also download a Young Ambassadors role description and application from the website by clicking here. We are giving candidates the option of submitting a written or video application, the choice is yours! The deadline for applications is midnight on Sunday 14th February and no applications will be accepted after this date. In the meantime check out our promotional video for an idea of what the next year might have in store http://www.youtube.com/youngukambassadors.
Consultation on MP's Expenses
The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) is hosting a number of deliberative meetings as part of its consultation on MPs’ expenses. IPSA is a new statutory body, independent from Parliament, Government and political parties.
Parliament legislated to establish IPSA in response to the public outcry following revelations relating to the claims made under the existing expenses and allowances scheme for MPs.
This consultation seeks views on the content and administration of a new MPs’ expenses scheme.
Are you free to attend on Wednesday 3rd February? The meetings are due to start around 6.30pm and scheduled to conclude at 9.30pm. The times and location of your meeting will be confirmed to you on completion of the registration form. If you are interested in attending this event, please contact rob.g@scottishyouthparliament.org.uk A.S.A.P for an application form.
Big Challenge Youth Leadership Team
Do you want to make decisions that will influence a UK wide youth programme? Are You 16-25? Then Big Challenge Youth Leadership Team need YOU!
They are currently recruiting for the next Big Challenge Youth Leadership Team...
For those of you who don’t know what it is?
Big Challenge is a UK wide competition for 16-25 year olds who have ideas to change their communities through exciting projects. The Youth Leadership Team gives out a £60,000 prize fund every year to support the best project ideas.
The part where you come in:
The Youth Leadership Team make key decisions about the programme including the competition theme for the year, short-listing all of the applications and then supporting Big Challenge project winners. They are a group of inspirational young people who come from all over the UK, from a variety of backgrounds, with a range of skills and experiences that make up a diverse and lively group. Their advice ensures that Big Challenge focuses on what young people want and need today.
Last year’s team have got loads out of being involved including two residentials, training in a number of areas, making big decision about funding projects and making great friends. Please can you forward this on to anyone that you think would get a lot out if this too?
The deadline for applications is Friday 12th February
Please contact Tiana for an application form - tiana@changemakers.org.uk who will also answer any questions that you may have, or see http://www.bigchallenge.org.uk/ for more info.
Win a trip to Sweden - Youth Media Summit
The Institute for Global Ethics UK Trust is planning to take 6 young people (18-25) to Sweden, 14-18 June 2010 to represent the UK at the World Summit on Media for Children and Young People. You will be trained in Facilitation and Leadership Skills, lead 4 workshops for the Global Youth Council and facilitate the creation of a Global Youth Media Charter. All flights, accommodation and food included. To win the chance to be one of those 6 young people please let Global Ethics know in any media format (short film, photo, animation, graphic, poem, letter, article, or even an expressive dance!) explaining why you would like to go!
Deadline 8th February 2010.
For more information go to www.globalethics.org.uk/cms/index.php?id=113
Glasgow Youth Film Festival and Chew TV Presents: The ‘One Minute Movie Competition’
Win an IPOD Touch, Filmmaking Software and FOPP Vouchers!
The Glasgow Youth Film Festival 2010 is calling for entries for the One-Minute Filmmaking Competition for young people in association with Chew TV. The competition is open to young people aged 14-19 years old, as individuals or in group, across the whole of Scotland.
You can enter an edited version of a film you've already made or make a one-minute film especially for the competition. The film can be made on any format, including your mobile phone/ video-camera/ stop-animation/ Super8… just use your imagination! But please check Chew TV’s submission guidelines for information on file types to upload.
Find out more by following this link http://www.glasgowfilmfestival.org.uk/oneminutemovie.
FREE industry led scheme helps young people kick start their TV careers
Would you like to launch your career in television? Do you fancy working alongside some of the UK's best production, marketing and creative teams from the likes of Sky News, MTV, EastEnders and Endemol? Em, yes! Then apply for the Edinburgh TV Festival's highly acclaimed scheme The Network and you could be part of the next generation of TV talent.
The Network has opened applications for its FREE, yes that's FREE event in Edinburgh in August 2010. Over four days, successful delegates will have the opportunity to meet the best professionals from behind and in front of the camera, listen to talks from senior industry people, get advice from experts, create and produce television. Attendees will come away with new skills, contacts and advice. Attendees must be over 18 years old. No previous experience is needed, just a keen interest in working in television.
Applicants can apply now for this FREE event, which takes place between 26 and 29 August. No previous experience is necessary; applications are welcome from anyone who has good ideas and an interest in working in television. To find out more about the scheme or to apply click here.
Applications close on 16 April 2010.
Back to List SYP Tobacco Success!
Over the past year, the SYP has been heavily involved in finding out what you thought of the Scottish Government’s plans to cut the number of young people that smoke. MSYPs have twice been quizzed by the Scottish Parliament about young people’s views and we’ve run two large consultations with young people so we can tell the politicians what you think. Well yesterday, the Scottish Parliament agreed to change the law – including a number of proposals that the SYP supports!
The new law will ban cigarette vending machines and means that tobacco products sold in shops have to be kept out of sight rather than behind the counter. A new register of tobacco retailers will be created with shopkeepers that break the law banned from selling cigarettes. The law will be brought into line with alcohol sales, so it will be an offence for under 18s to buy tobacco products, and it’ll also be illegal for over 18s to buy cigarettes for under 18s to smoke. These are all things that young people were in favour of and that the SYP supported when we spoke to MSPs.
It will be possible for the police to be able to confiscate cigarettes from young people who they suspect to be under 18, which we weren’t in favour of, but on the whole the new laws are things that young people wanted. So, some success for SYP and has made all the effort by MSYPs worth it!
SYP pushes for plans to raise the drinking age to be dropped
In 2008, the SYP campaigned successfully for the Scottish Government to drop their plans to raise the purchase age of alcohol to 21. The plans have now been revived in a measure that could see 18, 19 and 20 year olds in selected towns and villages across Scotland unable to buy alcohol. Young people across the country have told the SYP that this would be a mistake, so this week we asked the Scottish Parliament to drop the proposal.
The measure is part of the Alcohol Bill which the Scottish Government are considering. While there is much in the Bill that the SYP feels would really help Scotland’s problems with drink, this particular proposal, which would require each of Scotland’s 40 local Licensing Boards to consider raising the purchase age of alcohol to 21, could see particular towns, entire local authority areas or even individual shops refusing to sell young people to alcohol who are over the national minimum purchase age.
Read the full article here
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