12th June 2025
The annual Highland Youth Parliament (HYP) conference will take place at Inverness Leisure and Canal Park, Inverness on Friday (13th June 2025).
Highland young people are focusing on future youth voices and what they would like a future Highland to look like.
HYP is 25 years old this year so young people have been asked to bring a time capsule item to represent their area (to be opened again in 2050) and will be asked questions in a review of Highland Youth Parliament and related structures to improve how young people are supported to have a say, how this is promoted to young people and to help widen reach and representation.
The conference is expected to have approximately 100 young people from across the 29 secondary school areas in Highland participating at the event.
There will be stalls in the morning from a range of organisations and services working with young people across Highland and Highland Council youth development officers and young people will display the work they do out in areas around having a voice and making changes for improvement of services for young people in their local areas.
This will be followed by input from Jake MacCulloch, Chair of Highland Youth Parliament and Lauren McKittrick, the Highland Youth Convener.
The Scottish Youth Parliament will also speak with Highland young people re their work and consult on their new manifesto.
Kate Lackie, Assistant Chief Executive - People, The Highland Council will also speak with young people about The Highland Council's Our Future Our Highland Programme then young people will break out in to groups to discuss wider topics of Education, Employment, Leisure and Recreation, Transport, Roads and Infrastructure, Environment and Health and Social Care, and highlight issues and actions they would like HYP to focus on in these areas.
Young people will then have the opportunity to participate in a Walk and Talk a Mile to discuss a couple of questions which will contribute towards the development of the 2026-2029 Children’s Services Plan, incorporating the Highland Children and Young People’s Participation Strategy.
The group will also be offered some fun and interesting activities - a free swim and gym session from High Life Highland. Inverness Leisure will also provide line dancing, Highland Archive Centre are offering a family history session and Inverness Botanics will be providing some interesting tours of the gardens and the work they do.
Highland Youth Convener, Lauren McKittrick said: "The HYP conference provides a platform for each area in the Highlands to be represented by the young people who call it home. I am looking forward to hearing the unique perspectives these young people will bring while discussing some of the important themes affecting the future landscape of the Highlands. There is no better way to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Highland Youth Parliament than a day full of engaging discussions, fun activities, and a time capsule!"
Jake MacCulloch, Chair of Highland Youth Parliament added: "Having attended the HYP conference last year as a young person myself and now this year as Chair, I’m so excited to see how the day plays out. It is such an amazing opportunity for young people to take part in, where they can voice their views and take part in activities and workshops tailored to certain topics! Like usual we will also have stalls from organisations supporting young people. This year we also have stalls from youth groups throughout Highland to show the amazing work they've been doing as we are celebrating 25 years of the Highland Youth Parliament, I'm sure we are going to have a great time."
Kate Lackie, The Highland Council’s Assistant Chief Executive - People said: “The Council has a good track record of working proactively with the Highland Youth Parliament. It is important that voices of our children and young people are heard and taken seriously, especially when it comes to future policy making, which is why I am delighted to be leading a session seeking input into the Council’s key strategic priority areas. I am sure the conference will be an excellent platform to network, share good practice and look to the future. I wish everyone taking part a very enjoyable and successful event.”
Before the conference, Highland young people can participate in online training sessions, provided by The Highland Council and partners such as Scottish Youth Parliament and Education Scotland. They will cover a range of topics such as what it means to be a Highland Youth Parliament member, the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, elegant challenging and campaigning online.