South of Scotland Enterprise seeking young people who are passionate about the region’s future to join their Youth Forum
Recruitment is now underway to find members to grow our Youth Advisory Forum, set up to help the organisation better understand the issues that are impacting young people living and working across the South.
Established in 2023 with a dedicated group of members, the Youth Advisory Forum gives young people a safe and supportive space to voice their opinions and assist us and external partners in making important regional decisions.
Who are you looking for to join the Forum?
- We are looking to add to its diverse group of young people aged 16 to 25 who live in Dumfries & Galloway or the Scottish Borders.
- Members must have a permanent address in within the region but could be studying outside the South of Scotland.
- Members of the Forum will work as a team directly with SOSE’s Youth and Employability Manager, as well as other SOSE colleagues and external partners, and will be asked to give their views on wide range of areas that are of interest to the region’s economic and community development agency.
This will include the things young people would like to see happen in their area, and what young people think the future of the South of Scotland should look like.
What has the Forum achieved this year?
Over the past year, members have had input on a wide range of topics including:
- What it’s like to study in the South
- Barriers faced by young people when starting up their own business
- How the success of the South of Scotland Regional Economic Strategy could be measured in a way that people can understand.
Benefits of joining Youth Forum
Youth Advisory Forum members will get the chance to create a network of professional contacts, while receiving training and coaching along the way to help develop their confidence and skillset.
They will also be provided with an opportunity to gain a qualification during their time on the Forum.
The opportunity not only allows members to be champion for the South and its young people, but also to gain impressive experience for their future career or education endeavours.
How to apply
Applications to join the Forum are being now being welcomed and will be accepted in written, audio or video formats.
The closing date for applications is 30 September 2024.
For more information, and to submit your application, click here.
Current member, Jake McLaughlan, encouraged others to join:
“You really feel like there is something coming out of it.
“You can see where things are happening because of things that you’ve mentioned, and we’re always fed back the information as well.
“Any opportunities that are there for future development are really great so I would 100% recommend this for people.”
Melissa Gunn, who leads SOSE’s Youth Advisory Forum, added:
“We see the Youth Advisory Forum as an integral part of our work at SOSE and our future planning in the South of Scotland.
“This is an opportunity for young people to get their voice heard and inform discussions that will impact their future in their local areas.
“You don’t need to have experience to apply, we will support you throughout, and it’s a great opportunity to gain experience and meet new people along the way.
“Our current Forum members have really enjoyed working with us this year and we’ve loved working with them. We’re really excited to see the group grow and develop."
Russel Griggs OBE, Chair of SOSE said:
“When we toured the South of Scotland as part of our first engagement roadshow, we listened when people told us that giving young people in our region a voice was important.
“We made the creation of the SOSE Youth Advisory Forum a priority in our Five Year Plan and I am delighted that we are now in the position to be adding to our passionate group of existing members.
“Our current members have already provided us with some invaluable insight into a range of exciting topics, and I am looking forward to seeing what our new recruits across the Scottish Borders and Dumfries & Galloway can add to this.”