Politics / MSYP to stand down after finding full-time employment
ONE of Shetland’s members of the Scottish Youth Parliament (MSYP) is stepping down from his role after finding full-time employment.
Joe Smith was elected to the role last year alongside Bertie Summers.
In a statement released on Wednesday he said he was “vexed to say” he had made the difficult decision to stand down.
Smith said he did not feel he could commit the necessary time to the MSYP role while being in full-time employment.
“Firstly, I’d like to thank Bertie Summers as the other MSYP for Shetland who does excellent job for young people, excellent to work with,” he said.
Smith also thanked Sonny Thomason and the team at Shetland Islands Council’s youth and employability services, and those on the SIC’s education and families committee.
In recent years MYSPs have been able to sit in on the committee’s meetings.
Smith said: “It’s been an excellent experience, and one I would thoroughly recommend to anyone.”
Local youth parliament election coordinator Sonny Thomason said: “We would like to thank Joe for all his hard work and enthusiasm as a member of the Scottish Youth Parliament over the past year.
“Joe has done an excellent job representing the views of young people in Shetland and we wish him the best of luck in the next stage of his career.
“We will work closely with the Scottish Youth Parliament to ensure young people in Shetland will be represented both locally and nationally.”
Members of the Scottish Youth Parliament are aged between 14 and 25, and elected every two years with two MSYPs each for every Scottish Parliament constituency.
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