Citizens of today

Society has long since moved on from the old adage that ‘children should be seen and not heard’. Across Scotland, young people are getting out there and making a valuable contribution to society.

This March, the values and aspirations of more than 250 young people were presented at a Holyrood event showcasing 'Learning for Life: From Inspiration to Aspiration', a new book exploring the views of Scottish school children.

'When young people become actively involved in shaping the world around them like this, it really gives adults a bit of a kick start,' says Cathy Begley, Education for Citizenship Development Officer at Learning and Teaching Scotland (LTS). 'Children tend to be more passionate about things, and as adults we need to sit up and take note of what they’re telling us.'

This is a viewpoint that LTS embraces when it comes to shaping its Education for Citizenship project. The team regularly consults its Young People’s Advisory Group, introducing a youth voice to the decisionmaking process. 'Citizenship is about young people being actively involved in citizenship opportunities like these,' says Cathy. 'Many schools today have pupil councils and there are a great number of national programmes to engage children in the democratic process - programmes such as the Scottish Parliament’s MSPs in Schools have been very popular.'

MSPs in Schools brings pupils and MSPs together in the classroom to discuss the issues young people feel strongly about. Pupils are given the opportunity to lead discussions and debates and may go on to organise a public meeting, develop a campaign or submit a petition to Parliament after the MSPs’ visit. Rosemary Everett, Head of Education and Community Partnerships at the Scottish Parliament, explains: 'Our programme offers young people the chance to learn about their Parliament but also to actively engage with their local MSPs on an issue that matters to them. This develops key skills as well as knowledge.'

Secondary pupils with a taste for politics can also get involved in the Scottish Youth Parliament Competition, in which young people hold their own parliamentary debates. The competition fosters pupils’ skills in research, debate and teamwork.

'In Citizenship, a key focus is on critical thinking, where pupils research issues, talk to people and make their own minds up,' says Cathy. 'This is a skill that young people can take into employment, so it’s relevant for the rest of their lives.

'Citizenship is part of a child’s development process, so we should consult them from the age of zero to 18. After all, young people are the citizens of today, not citizens in waiting.'