A NEW Youth Advisory Forum that will give young people the chance to help shape the economy of the South of Scotland is set to be launched.
Recruitment is now underway to find members to join the new South of Scotland Enterprise Youth Advisory Forum, set up to help the organisation better understand the economic issues that are impacting young people living and working across the South.
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South of Scotland Enterprise (SOSE) is looking for a diverse group of young people aged 16 to 25 who live the Scottish Borders or in Dumfries and Galloway to become members of the Forum for an initial two-year period.
Members of the Forum will work as a team directly with SOSE’s Youth Programmes Lead, as well as other SOSE colleagues and will be asked to give their views on wide range of areas that are of interest across the region’s economic and community development agency.
This will include the things young people would like to see happen in their area, and what young people think the future of the South of Scotland should look like.
In working with SOSE, members of the Forum will get the chance to create a network of professional contacts, while receiving training and coaching along the way to help develop confidence and skills.
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They will also be provided with an opportunity to gain a qualification during their time on the Forum.
Applications to join the Forum are being now being welcomed and will be accepted in written, audio or video formats. The closing date for applications is Monday 21 August 2023 at 12noon.
For more information, and to submit your application, go to www.southofscotlandenterprise.com/youthadvisoryforum.
There will be two online drop-in information sessions for anyone who might be interested in applying and would like to find out more information.
To book a place, visit the Youth Advisory Forum webpage.
Melissa Gunn, SOSE’s Youth Programmes Lead, said: “We are very excited to be recruiting for our first group of young people to join our new Youth Advisory Forum here at SOSE.
”We are keen to work with young people from all different kinds of backgrounds from across the South, and we would particularly like to hear from those who have never been involved in anything like this before.
“This Forum will give SOSE the chance to better understand the economic issues that are impacting the young people of our region and gives young people the opportunity to have their voices heard.
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Jane Morrison-Ross, Chief Executive of SOSE said: “When we toured the South of Scotland as part of our first engagement roadshow in 2021/2022, we listened when people told us that giving young people in our region a voice was important.
“We made the creation of the SOSE Youth Advisory Forum a priority in our Five Year Plan - published earlier this year.
“I am delighted that we are kickstarting the recruitment process for our Forum and would ask any interested young people to get in touch to find out more about applying.”
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