Young people attend Scottish Youth Parliament sitting

North Ayrshire’s Members of Scottish Youth Parliament (MSYPs) recently attended Scottish Youth Parliament’s 83rd National Sitting (SYP83) at Paisley Town Hall, hosted warmly by Renfrewshire Council.

Emma Henderson, of Arran High School, and Rhyan Gorrie, of Kilbirnie – a current North Ayrshire Youth Work Modern Apprentice – attended to represent the views of young people in the Cunninghame North constituency.

Joining them was Emma Burns, of Irvine (Irvine Royal Academy), and Freya Fitzsimmons, of Kilwinning (St Matthew’s) to represent the views of young constituents in Cunninghame South.

Making the journey with colleagues from North Ayrshire Youth Work – part of the council’s Community Learning and Development service – the four Members of Scottish Youth Parliament (MSYPs) had an action-packed weekend staying over from Saturday 6 September to Sunday 7 September to attend the SYP83 sitting.

Scottish Youth Parliament’s annual sittings are crucial from a local and national democracy perspective as the important meetings are Scotland’s primary youth forum for MSYPs to network, set policy, campaign and debate on behalf of other young people.

Being part of Scottish Youth Parliament - a politically neutral charitable organisation - makes sure that youth voices can be heard by decision-makers at a local and national level and concrete campaigns and policy can then be developed.

The SYP83 Sitting saw the exciting official launch of SYP’s new ‘Shaping Scotland’s Future Manifesto‘ for 2026-2031. Written by young people, for young people, it captures the issues that matter most to Scotland’s young people and turns them into clear policies that decision-makers can act on. Every word reflects the voices, experiences, and ambitions of young people themselves, making it not just a document but a powerful tool for change.

Our dedicated MSYPs used the milestone event to network and discuss a host of important issues.

The motions from this year’s sitting included providing secondary school breakfasts (a motion put forward by Emma Henderson from Arran High school), improving procedures for handling sexual assault allegations, addressing Artificial Intelligence, improving access to youth work and ending phone bans in schools.

Councillor Alan Hill, Cabinet Member for Communities, Housing and Islands, shared his pride for the young people involved. He said: “Well done to our MSYPs for playing a vital role in the recent annual Scottish Youth Parliament sitting where all 32 local authorities across Scotland were represented.

“This is just one of example of how the council’s Community Learning and Development team is working across a host of youth voice and participation structures to ensure that young people’s voices are heard and their rights are upheld. If you are a young person that would like to get involved in local democracy, email: youthwork@north-ayrshire.gov.uk to find out how you can be part of the action.”

Getting involved in Scottish Youth Parliament, Youth Forums, Pupil Councils, North Ayrshire Youth Council, Youth Groups, Eco Committees, Sports Leadership, Peer Education – are just some of the ways young people in North Ayrshire between the age of 12-26 can get their voice heard on matters that affect them.

Young people's voice and rights are a key focus of the priorities in our Communities and Local Democracy Council Plan. North Ayrshire Council’s Youth Participation and Citizenship strategy sets out how young people across North Ayrshire can continue to play an active role in their schools and communities.

Reflecting on the weekend, MSYP for Cunninghame North Rhyan Gorrie said: “Between the debates and motions, it was brilliant taking part in a host of workshops to help us develop our skills when consulting with young people and also support us to become more confident public speakers.”

MSYP for Cunninghame South Freya Fitzsimmons added: “Although the official proceedings were amazing throughout the day, it was great to head over to the University of the West of Scotland campus on the Saturday evening where we had the chance to network with other MSYPs from across the region. The atmosphere was incredible.”

Emma Burns, MSYP for Cunninghame South was proud of her peer Emma Henderson for presenting a successful motion. She said: “My favourite part of the weekend was seeing Emma Henderson from Arran on stage representing her constituency. It was her first sitting, and she spoke confidently and courageously as she put forward her timely motion for schools to consider providing free breakfast to secondary aged pupils.”

Finally, victorious Member of Scottish Youth Parliament for Cunninghame North Emma Henderson said: “Being at the sitting was a privilege and an amazing experience. I never thought I would get to experience something like this meeting so many inspiring young people were involved and to have my motion pass was the cherry on the top. Thank you to North Ayrshire Youth Work team for accompanying us and to Renfrewshire Council and Scottish Youth Parliament for hosting the event.”

Find out more about Scottish Youth Parliament on their website.

Published: 19 September 2025