Youth Advisory Forum members represent future voices at SOSE’s Five Year Celebration at the Scottish Parliament
Our Youth Advisory Forum (YAF) was represented at the Scottish Parliamentary reception last week, celebrating our five-year anniversary and the achievements of businesses and communities across the South of Scotland.
Two YAF members, Callum Pollhammer and Jameson Sherrifs said they “loved” their experience at the event which highlighted our commitment to amplifying young people’s voices in shaping the region’s future.
The reception brought together MSPs, partners, regional stakeholders, and an appearance from Outlander star and Co-founder of Galloway Distillery Sam Heughan.
The event marked an important milestone for our showcasing progress since going live in 2020.
The presence of YAF members underlined our focus on ensuring young people are involved in decision making at the highest levels.
Throughout the event, Callum and Jameson engaged with attendees on a range of topics including rural opportunities and skills development to supporting inclusive growth.
Their contributions reflected the Forum’s growing influence and the ambition behind its ongoing development as a dynamic youth-led group.
SOSE’s Head of Strategy, Planning and Partnerships, Garry Legg said:
“Being part of the parliamentary reception was a fantastic experience for our Youth Advisory Forum members.
“Our young people had a great time and really valued the opportunity to meet new people, build connections, and represent the South of Scotland with pride.
“The event also provided an important platform for individual forum members to share their experiences.
“Including youth voices is central to our long‑term strategy and essential to understanding the needs and aspirations of future generations.
“The SOSE Youth Advisory Forum is a key part of helping us take this forward, and its work will continue to play an important role as we enter the next five years.”
Youth Forum member, Jameson Sherriffs (17) from Moffat explained:
“Being a part of the Youth advisory forum has been a joy for the year or so I have been a part of it.
“Being in the Scottish parliament building surrounded by so many recognisable figures and influential people was daunting at first, but I was able to use the skills that I have developed over my time on the forum to have really interesting discussions, and it ended up being a really enjoyable evening.”
Callum Pollhammer, (19) from Birgham added:
“It was a great night and brilliant to feel the buzz in the room which really did showcase how much impact SOSE has had in its first five years.
“It was great to meet so many different people, businesses and organisations and hear about their journeys. It was also brilliant to meet Sam Heughan who is a great ambassador for the region.”
Garry Legg added:
“Opportunities like this show what the forum is all about – empowering young voices and affording them platforms to influence and inspire.”