Jackson Hill

East Lothian Coast and Lammermuirs

Key Issues

• Justice
• Rights
• Education

Candidate Profile

Why do you want to be an MSYP?

Me and my family have been through many difficult situations throughout the past few years. This has included hospital appointments, meetings with health professionals, many CPMs (Child planning meetings), and I have done months of advocacy work with the Young Carers as a result of my experience. This eventually led me to discover the SYP. I truly believe that this organisation is a force for good in the country, and I want to help as much as I can. For a very long time, I have felt a lack of hope, and I know many other young people feel the same way. The SYP is how we can start to change this, and I want to be a part of it.

How will you consult with the young people in your area or organisation to ensure that they are represented well and their voices are heard?

I would prioritise young people who wouldn’t normally engage with their local MSYP. In my time working across different groups with the local council, I noticed that I am continually meeting with the same faces. This risks unengaged young people being unheard which would result in an unequal representation. This goes back to why I am standing, to give those who don’t have a voice a voice. I will aim to go to a variety of events such as sports matches and music gigs, speak directly to young people and establish a group of high school students from each of the four high schools in the constituency. I would then work alongside young people to address issues they tell me about, bring them forward in meetings, feed back what happened as a result of the meeting to them and repeat the process.

Why should someone vote for you?

At the core of my interest in SYP is a desire for progress. I attended the Young Carers Festival earlier this year, during which I spoke directly to the First Minister and a local MSP about carers. This helped result in both of them taking pledges to improve Young Carers’ lives. I have spoken at public events before, so I am not afraid of the stage. I am determined to make a positive difference to the county. I will strive for progress in education. This means making information more accessible and putting better systems into place to identify those who may be vulnerable. I will push for progress in funding for youth projects in East Lothian. I will advocate for the young people of East Lothian and their interests. Inaction is the champion of poor outcomes, I will engage and mobilise real action.