A member of the Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP) fears lockdown has impeded progress on a huge survey being conducted to ensure young people remain at the centre of political decision-making.
Aberdeenshire East representative, Shayne Omale, is hoping 12 to 25-year-old people in the area will comment on the “most pressing issues” impacting their lives as part of the consultation.
The findings will help to shape the Scottish Youth Parliament’s political work for a five-year period and enable members to work with decision makers.
Shayne, 14, said: “We have the ability to change and influence change. Our job is to make sure young people are being listened to and one of our issues right now is mental health and challenging the stigma surrounding it.
“We are trying to break down the stereotype of the young person and introduce the topic of mental health into debate. Lockdown is taking away progress significantly.”
The consultation will take around 10 minutes to complete and the SYP is also encouraging people to contact them directly to discuss what issues are affecting them in their communities.
Mr Omale added: “If you want your voice to be heard then it is the best thing to do as politics opens debates.”
The consultation can be accessed at https://www.surveygizmo.eu/s3/90236199/From-Scotland-s-Young-People-SYP-s-Manifesto-2021-2026.