The Apprentice Day for Highland Youth Voice Members

14th March 2010

Apprentice Day is running next Wednesday (17 March 2010) giving young people from all over the Highlands the chance to play the "Apprentice" by shadowing senior officials within The Highland Council and partner organisations, Northern Constabulary, Highland and Islands Fire and Rescue Service and NHS Highland. This year, the fifth year of the event, HM Prison Service and Cairngorms National Park Authority and two of the Highland Council's Children and Young People's Champions, Councillor Jaci Douglas and Councillor Linda Munro are also getting involved.

Over the last five years members of Highland Youth Voice, the youth parliament for the Highlands, have found this event to be a great way of developing their awareness of what services are out there in Highland and allows them to link with policy makers and decision-takers. Highland Youth Voice members hope the day will help raise awareness of the youth parliament and local youth forums as well as exploring the relevance of services to young people and passing on young people's perceptions of the services they provide.

The day will start in Inverness at 10.00am and will involve young people in a range of meetings and business in and around Inverness. The event will culminate in a more informal discussion reflecting on the experience.

Convener of the Highland Council Sandy Park said: "We actively encourage young people to get involved in their local communities and put across their views on a wide range of topics. The Apprentice Day is a great opportunity to find out a bit more, first hand, how the Council works. I myself am getting shadowed for the day by Rowena Carlton a pupil from Nairn Academy. I look forward to meeting her and the other young people taking part and wish them all a very successful and productive day."

The day is organised by The Highland Council's Highland-wide Youth development team, including Magnus Monahan, Highland Youth Convener. Magnus said: "Having been involved in the apprentice day as a youth voice member for the past three years I know what a valuable experience it can be. However this year the boot will on the other foot as I've got an apprentice of my own! I'm sure the day will be a great success and I hope both the officials and young people can learn something from it."