Youth participation in Aberdeenshire, is all about putting children and young people in the centre of policy and practice. We do this by creating and supporting ways in which children and young people can get involved in decision-making, at the individual, community, local authority, and national level.
Aberdeenshire’s Youth Participation Structure includes all the different groups below:
Youth Voice Matters Aberdeenshire
Youth Voice Matters Aberdeenshire is a new online publication, which values young people’s contribution to our communities by providing updates and information on youth engagement, action and representation in Aberdeenshire!
Specific Interest Groups (SIGs)
Specific Interest Groups meet over shared experiences, identities, or a particular area of interest. These include Looked After children and young people in our LAC Factor, and Young People’s Organising and Campaigning Group (YPOC), LGBT Rights, New Syrian Scots, Scottish Gypsy/Travellers, Aberdeenshire Youth Bank, Young Carers, and our Scotland’s Commissioner for Children and Young People (SCCYP) Young Advisors.
For more information please contact:
- LGBT: Tracey.christie@aberdeenshire.gov.uk or tracey.latham@aberdeenshire.gov.uk
- Young Syrian New Scots: biff.barrow@aberdeenshire.gov.uk
- YPOC: Laura.Stewart@aberdeenshire.gov.uk
- LAC Factor: leigh.jolly@aberdeenshire.gov.uk
- Aberdeenshire Youth Bank: Lilimar.simpson@aberdeenshire.gov.uk
- SCCYP Young Advisors: Lilimar.simpson@aberdeenshire.gov.uk
Pupil Participation Forum (PPF)
Aberdeenshire’s Pupil Participation Forum is a youth-led group of 68 young people, consisting of ambassadors from seventeen secondary schools across Aberdeenshire. They are regularly called on to consult on matters related to their education, have created a guide for schools on how to improve pupil participation, and are currently working on events and resources to support Year of Young People #YOYP2018.
For more information please contact: christine.mclennan@aberdeenshire.gov.uk
17 Community Youth Platforms (CYPs)
There are 17 community youth platforms across North, Central and South Aberdeenshire. These were established across Aberdeenshire in 2017 and aim to provide young people with opportunities to discuss the issues which matter to them, in their local community.
- North: Banff, Huntly, Mintlaw, Peterhead, Turriff
- Central: Alford, Ellon, Westhill, Kemnay, Inverurie, Meldrum
- South: Aboyne, Banchory, Mearns, Stonehaven & Portlethen
Aberdeenshire Youth Shadow Management Team (AYSMT)
Aberdeenshire Youth Shadow Management Team consists of Youth Council Executive Members, who have been elected to take on an office bearer role or are members interested in particular issues. They meet with Aberdeenshire Council’s Strategic Leadership Team, which consists of the Directors for Education & Children’s Services, Infrastructure, Health and Social Care, Business Services and the Chief Executive.
For more information please contact: clare.taylor-brown@aberdeenshire.gov.uk
Aberdeenshire Members of Scottish Youth Parliament (MSYPs)
There are 7 Aberdeenshire MSYP’s, who are democratically elected for a 2-year term and represent: Banffshire and Buchan Coast, Aberdeenshire East, Aberdeenshire West, North Angus & Mearns. The MSYPs role is to represent young people from Aberdeenshire and they actively campaign on youth issues, such as championing young people’s Rights through the Right Here, Right Now national campaign. They seek to build links with local councillors and MSPs to benefit young people, and an MSYP representative also sits on Aberdeenshire’s Youth Shadow Management Team.
For more information please contact: Douglas.Findlay@Aberdeenshire.gov.uk
Aberdeenshire Youth Council (AYC)
Aberdeenshire Youth Council consists of democratically elected representatives from all youth participation groups in Aberdeenshire, including the Pupil Participation Forum, Community Youth Platforms, and Specific Interest groups
For more information please contact: Douglas.Findlay@Aberdeenshire.gov.uk