Education for Citizenship Young People's Advisory Group
This group of young people from schools across Scotland provides advice to Learning and Teaching Scotland on education for citizenship and how to develop it in schools.
The Young People's Advisory Group (YPAG) also comments on related projects and activities with particular attention to their impact on young people.
The group’s feedback is used to direct and inform the work of education for citizenship in Scotland. They have the opportunity to influence national policy and they are contacted on an ongoing basis by Learning and Teaching Scotland when the views of young people are being sought.
Origins of the Advisory Group
The Young People’s Advisory Group was established as a pilot group in 2003 following a consultation exercise with young people on their views about education for citizenship. This consultation enabled the student voice to be represented by the review group who were looking at education for citizenship in Scottish schools.
The structure of the project involved setting up an Advisory Group to comment on, and influence, the work on education for citizenship and it was felt that a similar group should be established to hear student’s views and experiences as well as those of adults.
The group meets three times a year and has a direct input in the work of the education for citizenship team. It has continued to develop and expand from an initial 12 young people in 2003 to 47 young people from 23 local authorities in 2008.
Young people are nominated by Directors of Education in local authorities. Students are mainly from S5 or S6 but may also be from S3 or S4. The age range of students involved is from 14 to 18. Students may serve on the group for more than one year. Meetings are designed to reflect the interests of the group in the project, to be participatory and to be enjoyable to the group members.