Scottish Youth Parliament Member Ben Stewart aims to represent the views of Moray’s young people
A politics student from Moray is using past experience at home to influence the Scottish Youth Parliament.
Ahead of his second year at Stirling University, Ben Stewart is looking forward to his next sitting at Holyrood as a Member of the Scottish Youth Parliament (MSYP).
The former Forres Academy pupil explained: “I hope to give Moray’s young people a voice. Not only are rural area’s needs ignored, but young voices are often not listened to any way, making for a perfect storm for Moray’s young people.
“I aim to be a voice for young people and influence more of us to get involved.”
Ben was elected as a Moray MSYP alongside Isla Palmer of Buckie High School last year.
The SYP is made up of around 166 democratically elected representatives aged 14–25 from across Scotland who meet three times-a-year. Elections take place every two years and every constituency area elects two MSYPs using the Single Transferable Vote electoral system.
MSYPs sit as independents to avoid partisan politics and core values include rights, democracy and inclusion.
“MSYPs are elected by young people to represent young people,” explained Ben. “The parliament itself doesn't directly create laws or change policy but it does have an influence. For example, it was a SYP campaign that got votes for 16-year-olds and free bus travel for young people.
“As well as members from different constituencies, it also has members from different organisations such as the Girl Guides and Scouts.”
He added: “Our training was related to SYP campaign priorities including investing in and protecting youth work services, ending gender-based violence, and increasing mental health training and education. It mostly entailed group discussions but we also had an eye-opening panel discussion!”
The six motions presented to the MYSPs during their first sitting were: making LGBTQ+ social and sexual education being made mandatory in all schools; ensuring every young person has access to quality, affordable and accessible sporting facilities; ensuring public transport better connects communities; allowing a statutory right to automatic anonymity to anyone claiming to be a victim of sexual offences; improving transgender, non-binary and intersex education by offering a curriculum shaped by the direct experiences of the trans, non-binary and intersex communities; and giving all secondary school pupils the statutory right to an outdoor residential experience.
“Isla and I voted in favour for all of them other than the motion concerning sporting facilities,” said Ben. “We had concerns that leaving these spaces open so often may cause increased damage and leaving volunteers to fix it would be unfair.”
Ben believes his life in Forres impacts how he votes.
He said: “I knew many LGBTQ+ students at Forres Academy and saw how the school did its best to help them feel safe and included so voting for both LGBTQ+ education motions was a no brainer.
“Living in a rural area is also why I voted in favour of community engagement to improve public transport - especially now when the bus routes to Kinloss and Findhorn being cut mean it's more vital than ever.”
The next sitting of the Scottish Youth Parliament will be between October 31 and November 2.
For more information visit https://syp.org.uk/
