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Become an MSYP!
1 June - 30 June
Applications to stand in the Scottish Youth Parliament’s 2023 elections are now open.
Members of the Scottish Youth Parliament (MSYPs) are 14 – 25 year olds from every part of Scotland who have been elected to represent Scotland’s young people and campaign for positive change.
MSYPs are elected every two years and the next elections will take place in November 2023.
Who Cares? Scotland is a partner of the Scottish Youth Parliament with two seats for Care Experienced members as MSYPs. Although other local authority MSYPs may also have experience of care, these two seats ensure that Care Experienced young people are always represented in the biggest youth forum in Scotland.
Throughout their term, Charles Fernando and Oísin King, our MSYPs for 2021 – 2023, have brought forward a motion about mental health for the Care Experienced community and attended The Festival of Care in Shetland. They were also awarded the ‘Human Rights Defender’ at the SYP Awards 2022 and have sat on different SYP committees.
Who Can Apply?
We are looking to hear from members aged 14-25 who are interested in representing Who Cares? Scotland and the Care Experienced community at a national level.
Candidates do not need to have political knowledge – they must simply demonstrate a passion for making change and speaking up about issues facing Care Experienced children and young people.
We’d like to encourage members from any part of Scotland to consider expressing an interest. We will support them with travel to and from sittings and events, and otherwise they must be able to communicate regularly with their support worker, SYP staff and other MSYPs via video conferencing, messaging and calls.
All those interested in becoming a Who Cares? Scotland MSYP must also be willing to become a member of our National Representative Body (NRB). Once elected as a MSYP you will be automatically placed on the NRB. This includes attending and supporting local groups, attending Regional Forums and abiding by our Volunteer Agreement and Code of Conduct, alongside SYP’s Codes of Conduct. You can find out more about the NRB here.
As with the NRB, you are asked to commit on average at least 4 hours a week to working alongside your regional team and other Representatives, including attending SYP events. Some weeks will require more commitment than others depending on planned activity, in particular, the three national sittings a year. You should also be able to commit to the role for the two-year term.
How can members find out more?
We’re hosting three online information sessions for interested members to find out more. These are:
- June 2nd from 3-4pm (this session will cover several member opportunities)
- June 9th from 3-4pm
- June 14th from 6-7pm
You can sign up for any of the above sessions by filling out this form.
If you can’t make the information session but have a few questions, please contact the Policy & Public Affairs team at policy@whocaresscotland.org.
You can find out more about the SYP and the 2023 elections on their website at https://syp.org.uk/get-involved/elections/
How to Apply?
Prospective candidates have until Friday 30th June to register their interest in standing to become a MSYP.
You can register your interest by completing a short survey here.
You will then receive training to help develop your skills over the summer before launching their election campaigns in autumn.
Across Scotland, Who Cares? Scotland’s members will then cast their ballots to choose who they want to represent them for the next two years between Monday 6th to Sunday 19th November.
If you need to access this information or any of the application forms in a more accessible format, please contact comms@whocaresscotland.org.
