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Talking Up Scotland's Young People in North Edinburgh
11th Oct 2007
‘Fantastic’
‘heart-warming’
‘inspiring’
‘superbly organised, stimulating and entertaining’
Just a small selection of the comments received after Talking UP for a Change’s most recent event.
It was a night to remember for those who came, and for those who couldn’t make it, we hope the results will inspire a commitment not to miss out on future events.
Headteachers from Craigroyston Community High School and St George's School for Girls were joined by more than 30 young people from their schools, and a host of guests from all walks of Scottish life for some thought-provoking presentations and discussions.
A choir formed specially for the occasion by pupils from both schools, a jazz band from St George’s, a samba band from Craigroyston and spectacular aerial dance performances by Jennifer and Skye of Curious Seed provided stirring entertainment and showed again what young people can achieve with the right backing.
For Scotland to prosper we need our young people to be outward going, quietly confident, resilient, keen to explore new ideas and able and willing to contribute in all manner of ways – through the arts, through business, through public service and through sport – locally, nationally and internationally. To achieve that we need big ideas and fresh thinking – the announcement of a day-long job swap between headteachers Margaret Russell and Judith McClure, and a working partnership between Craigroyston Community High School and St George’s School for Girls is an example of the kind of radical thinking we need in Scotland, and set an exciting tone for the evening.
When more than 30 young people from both schools were given a chance to shine as visionaries, they stepped up to the mark in spectacular style, engaging with adults in discussions and delivering their own great ideas on the future
Our promise is to take forward these ideas and pursue their implementation with energy. Mike Stevenson has already spoken at the Liberal Democrat Conference, making reference to the need to involve children and young people in defining their own future; the event and its outcomes will feature in the magazine of the General Teaching Council for Scotland; we will write a feature for the Chamber of Commerce publications; we will be discussing the way ahead with other educational bodies; and we are already talking to the media about the possibility of dedicated television programmes and newspaper supplements for young people.