Scottish Conservative and Unionist MSP Miles Briggs has taken up the challenge to complete the new Scouts Scotland Youth Advocacy Award. In the same way that Scouts earn their badges, Miles will earn the award by completing a number of actions that were chosen by young people in Scouting to help MSPs experience the life changing opportunities that the Scouts offer. The award celebrates and highlights MSPs who are raising issues related to young people within the Scottish Parliament, and includes the options to learn a skill, raise issues relating to young people in the parliament or in the media, and visit a local Scout group.
To complete the award Mr Briggs has visited a local Scout group (103rd Braid Scouts Troop), raised issues relating to young people in the Parliament, will take a Scout group on a tour of the Parliament, and is attending a camp this summer at Bonaly.
Miles Briggs MSP said:
“I’m delighted to be taking part in the Scouts Scotland Youth Advocacy Award over the coming months. Scouting makes a huge difference across the Lothian region, helping young people to get outside, contribute to the community, and develop vital skills for life. I’m really looking forward to working with the young people in Scouting to earn my badge.
“As my party’s Mental Health Spokesman, I am very clear that organisations like the Scouts and Guides and indeed many others like the Boys Brigade and other schemes like the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award can play a vital role in boosting the self-confidence of our young people and making them more resilient in later life. We should be encouraging young people to get involved in these organisations and doing all we can to support the volunteers who are the backbone of our youth programmes.”
Tudor Westwood, Chair of the National Youth Advisory Group for Scouts Scotland said:
"The exciting thing is that this badge encourages politicians to see and engage with, first-hand, the extraordinary work Scouts Scotland does every single day in Scotland. Our Scouts are active citizens and I believe this advocacy award will help to inspire more of our young people to engage with democracy and work towards social change.”
The award is also designed to give politicians a greater insight into the work that Scouts Scotland is undertaking week in week out in Scotland. As the largest volunteer-led mixed youth movement in Scotland, Scouts Scotland support nearly 40,000 young people to enjoy new adventures, experience the outdoors, interact with others and gain confidence.
Scouting exists to make young people’s lives better, helping them to realise their full potential, and providing them with the skills they need to succeed in life.
You can help Scouts Scotland to support more young people in Scotland by donating on the website www.scouts.scot.
