The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Youths can shape policy
Next generation: Deputy first ministet says young Scots’ input is crucial
Deputy First Minister John Swinney has said that involving young Scots in national policymaking should be “absolutely routine”.
Mr Swinney’s comments came yesterday in Aviemore at the three-day Europarc conference hosted by the Cairngorms National Park Authority.
He was launching the Youth Manifesto aimed at addressing the issues and challenges young people highlighted as the most important aspects of living,
“Young people should be involved in policymaking”
learning and working in protected areas and rural communities.
Mr Swinney said: “One of the lessons we’ve taken from the Year of the Young People is the need to make the participation of young people in policymaking in our country absolutely routine.
“I think that is the big gain we have had from the Year of the Young People.
“The decision of the Cairngorms National Park to establish a youth council will give us the opportunity to focus very much on the needs and aspirations of young people.
“Essentially, it means making sure we take the right economic and social interventions that create economic and social opportunities for young people but in a fashion that is compatible with protecting the natural environment,”
He added: “I’m thrilled Europarc decided to would bring the national Europarc conference to the UK and that they decided to bring it here to Aviemore and to see the heart, strength and capacity of this venue and also the beauty of this area.”
Over the course of the conference, some 629 registered delegates have gathered from 39 countries across Europe to discuss ways in which to connect young people in protecting and sustaining the future of key environmental areas across the continent.
Peter Argyle, convener of Cairngorms National Park Authority, said: “It has been an absolutely tremendous conference right from the start when we proposed it three years ago.
“We’ve been astonished by the number of people that wanted to come here.
“It’s the biggest attendance Europarc has ever had by a considerable measure and there has been the most tremendous buzz and enthusiasm with some really good conversations, debates and discussions.”
Luke Vogan, one of the youth delegates, said of the Aviemore conference: “It has been absolutely brilliant and has exceeded all expectation. All of the youth delegates on this programme are really emotionally invested in the natural environment and the places that they come from.”
Mr Swinney also visited Inverness to meet some of the young people involved in Scotland’s life sciences sector.