John Swinney and a number of his Cabinet attended the annual Cabinet for Children and Young People, meeting members from Scottish Youth Parliement and Children’s Parliament.
The Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP) and Children’s Parliament recently hosted First Minister John Swinney at the Annual Cabinet Meeting with Children and Young People at St Andrew’s House.
This event featured lively discussions on key national campaigns, with a focus on the critical importance of youth work services in Scotland.
Young people led the agenda, with MSYPs and Ministers taking part in breakout discussions to allow young people to have their views heard. The First Minister of Scotland participated directly, joining a session centred on the future of youth work alongside SYP Chief Executive Jamie Dunlop, with MSYPs calling for multi-year funding to safeguard vital youth services.
Hamish Nott MSYP from Inverness and Nairn captured the spirit of the day, stating, “Whether it’s kicking a ball around on Friday night or speaking to Cabinet members, youth work is anything that builds social skills that you keep with you for the rest of your life. They can’t really teach you those in schools, so youth work gives you the kind of informal environment to learn important life skills.”
In her opening speech to Ministers, Daniela Onyewuenyi MSYP set out SYP’s ambitions for youth work: “We have three clear priorities for you, the Scottish Government: to implement the recommendations of the recently published CLD report, to introduce a right to youth work and adopt a rights-based approach to youth work in line with the UNCRC and to commit to protecting the sector from financial cuts. By adopting these priorities, you can enhance the opportunities of future generations, empowering them to make meaningful contributions for years to come.
The event also introduced a new ‘Youth Reporter’ initiative, enabling MSYP Olivia Brown to interview the First Minister on youth work’s pivotal role in tackling child poverty. Her compelling questions, set against the backdrop of World Children’s Day, underscored the necessity of investment in youth work to ensure every young person in Scotland has the opportunity to thrive.