Thousands of young people from across North Lanarkshire have participated in the Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP) Elections 2024, showcasing a positive engagement with democracy among youth in the area.
The results and successful candidates were announced at the @Home Youth centre in Airdrie on 29 January. Despite an unforeseen delay due to technical issues with the country-wide voting system last year, the re-scheduled elections saw a strong turnout between 15 and 26 January.
Angela Campbell, Convener of Education, Children and Families said: "I would like to extend my congratulations to all the successful candidates and wish them well in their roles. It is wonderful to see our young people engaging in the political processes, and hopefully this will encourage greater active participation in the future.”
The successful candidates for each constituency are as follows:
- Airdrie and Shotts: Eshal Malik
- Coatbridge and Chryston: Karley Mooney and Mischa Brown
- Cumbernauld and Kilsyth: Shafa Waqas and Neve Macaulay
- Motherwell and Wishaw: Shiza Ali and Gemma Gordon
- Uddingston and Bellshill: Kenzie Ritchie
Successful candidate Shafa Waqas explained: "I feel so grateful to be elected as MSYP and I cannot wait to start working with my constituents to ensure young voices are actively listened to!"
Mischa Brown added: "This is the best opportunity I've ever had; it's given me more confidence and friends than I've had ever."
The event received support from various stakeholders including head teachers and representatives from candidate schools. The results evening was attended by senior council officers, Councillor Angela Campbell and Councillor Chris Costello, Children and Young Persons Champion.
For more information on the Scottish Youth Parliament, visit www.syp.org.uk