I live in a rural area, and sometimes it feels like young people who live further away from bigger towns and cities get forgotten. Transport is a big issue for me. If you can’t drive and there aren’t good buses, it can be hard to meet friends, get to activities, have a part-time job or access services. I want to become an MSYP so young people in rural communities can have a stronger voice. I’d like to raise issues about transport, activities and opportunities, but I also want to hear what other young people think the priorities should be. I haven’t done anything like this before, which is partly why I’m standing. I think politics and decision-making should include ordinary young people, not just people who already know how everything works.

I want to stand because every young person should be able to participate in decisions that affect them. I’m disabled, and I’ve had experiences where an opportunity was technically “open to everyone” but wasn’t actually accessible to everyone. Accessibility can mean physical access, but it can also mean communication, confidence, sensory needs, cost and having the right support. I want to bring that perspective to the Scottish Youth Parliament, while remembering that my experience is only my experience. I can’t speak for every disabled young person. That’s why listening would be a really important part of the role for me. I want to use the position to create more opportunities for young people with different experiences to speak for themselves and influence the decisions that affect their lives.

I want to be an MSYP because your family’s income shouldn’t decide whether you can take part in opportunities at school or in your community. Young people notice the cost of things. It might be school trips, lunch, transport, sports equipment or just the cost of going out with friends. Sometimes people feel embarrassed talking about money, which means their experiences can be hidden. I want to help make sure these experiences are heard. I’m already involved in my school pupil council, and I’ve learned that listening is just as important as speaking. If elected, I want to take the issues young people raise with me and turn them into clear asks for decision-makers. I also want to challenge the idea that young people aren’t interested in politics. We care about decisions because we live with their consequences.

Honestly, I’m standing because I think there should be more for young people to do. A lot of the time adults complain that teenagers are hanging around, but there aren’t always affordable places where we can actually go. Not everyone wants to play organised sport either. I’d like to see more places where young people can meet friends, try different activities and just be themselves without spending loads of money. But I know there will be issues other young people care about more than I do. If I become an MSYP, I don’t want to just campaign about my favourite topic. I want to find out what young people across my area think needs to change. I think becoming an MSYP would be a chance to turn complaining about problems into actually trying to do something about them.

I want to be an MSYP because I don’t think young people should only be asked what they think after decisions have already been made. I want us to have a say from the beginning. I’m interested in mental health and the pressure young people can feel at school. I’ve seen friends struggle to get support or feel like adults don’t understand what things are actually like for us. As an MSYP, I would listen to young people with lots of different experiences and take their ideas and concerns to the people who can make a difference. I also want young people to know what happened after they shared their views, even if the answer isn’t always what we hoped for.