We brought the Youth Manifesto into Parliament
YSCS members Issie Jeffrey, Caitlin Turner, Louis MacMillan, Rosie Landon & Xiangru Wang with sponsoring MSP Maggie Chapman at the Scottish Parliament during the 5th March drop-in session.
Earlier this month, five of our members brought the Youth Manifesto for Scotland's Seas directly to the heart of the Scottish Parliament.
At a drop-in session hosted by Scottish Greens MSP Maggie Chapman on 5 March, YSCS members Issie, Caitlin, Louis, Rosie, and Xiangru met with MSPs to share young people’s priorities for the future of Scotland’s seas ahead of the upcoming elections.
The Youth Manifesto sets out the actions that young people across Scotland want the Scottish Government to take to protect and restore our marine environment. Developed with input from young people from coastal and inland communities alike, the manifesto highlights four key priorities for Scotland’s seas in the run-up to this year’s elections:
Protect biodiversity and marine habitats
Tackle marine pollution and plastic waste
End overfishing and promote sustainable seafood
Improve ocean literacy
You can read the full manifesto here.
The drop-in session created a relaxed and informal environment that encouraged open, meaningful conversations between young people and politicians, free from the pressures of a formal meeting setting. Our members were able to share their experiences, motivations, and hopes for Scotland’s seas, while also gaining valuable first-hand experience engaging policymakers and advocating for the issues that matter most to them.
“The opportunity to chat to politicians in a relaxed environment alongside other young people really built my confidence. I feel more able to communicate effectively now. It was interesting to discuss what the Youth Manifesto priorities might look like in different constituencies ranging from Shetland to Rutherglen. Looking forward to keeping up the pressure now in the run up to elections in May”
“It was a really valuable experience for my confidence in speaking directly to policymakers, and also made the MSPs feel much more approachable. It was interesting to speak with a range of parties about whether the priorities we were presenting in our manifesto had been, or were being considered in their manifestos.”
“This experience was my first time visiting the Scottish parliament building, and one of my first times interacting with politicians. I was really nervous leading up to it, but with the support from YSCS and inspiring peers I felt confident sharing my experiences with the MSPs - it wasn’t as daunting as I had built up in my head! We also caught a glimpse into MSP offices and shared stories driving our personal motivations to protect our oceans. It was great to raise issues on my main priorities of sustainable seafood systems and ocean literacy. I’m hopeful for positive change and excited for more conversations with politicians and other marine stakeholders!”
As well as our host, other MSPs who took time out of their lunch breaks speak with our members included Ariane Burgess (Scottish Greens), Clare Haughey (Scottish National Party) and Beatrice Wishart (Scottish Liberal Democrats). After discussing the manifesto and hearing directly from young people about the issues affecting Scotland’s seas, they each added their name to a map of Scotland to show their support for the youth-led call to action.
Our conversations underscored the importance of ensuring that the next generation has a meaningful voice in shaping marine policy. Young people across Scotland care deeply about the future of our oceans and are calling for meaningful action from decision-makers on all fronts.
We will continue to share the Youth Manifesto with policymakers and marine stakeholders across Scotland in the coming months, advocating for meaningful action on youth priorities.
We encourage all candidates standing for (re-)election to read the manifesto and consider how its priorities can be reflected in the work of the next Scottish Parliament.