Young Speakers Scotland is delighted to have signed up to the Power of Youth Charter. This is a collaborative effort, across the UK, which aims to recognise young people for their efforts, empower more young people to make a difference, and give young people opportunities to shape their future.
This charter shows our commitment to:
- Prioritise empowering young people to volunteer and take social action
- Open up our decision-making structures
- Work in partnership
- Evidence the benefits of youth social action
- Recognise and celebrate young people’s impact
At YSS, empowering young people is our central aim and defining mission. Our workshops equip participants with the tools they need to advocate for themselves; speaking up on issues relevant to them and other young people in a powerful, evocative, compelling way. This has widespread benefits, from the classroom to job interviews to interpersonal situations.
If we want the next generation to become leaders we cannot stifle their voices. Moreover, it cannot be the case that the area a young person happens to grow up in dictates their future. This is why our Speak up Scotland programme aims to deliver workshops to state schools that face multiple forms of disadvantage, to ensure our programme is as diverse as possible.
By signing this charter and working alongside organisations such as Youth Link Scotland, we commit to giving young people this voice and including them in our decision-making. We have already seen young people contribute in our focus groups, contributing to our debating topics and strategic decisions.
If you are a young person interested in joining the #IWillMovement through the Champions Programme, you can find more information here.