LET'S hear it for the Scottish Youth Parliament, which has put out a call for new representatives.

When I was up in Shetland last year, I went to one of their sessions where the local MSPs and MPs were being grilled by the young politicians. Trust me, they didn’t miss their elders and hit the wall!

But there’s a lot more to the SYP than a travelling talking shop. Their reps get very much involved in their local areas, and help to enthuse their peers about the need to understand and participate in local issues.

It’s a useful education for those who might go on to adult political forums, but also invaluable for young people with no interest in formal politics, but an inclination to be involved in their communities in a pro-active way.

This country started a revolution when we took the enlightened decision to have 16 and 17 year olds voting in the 2014 referendum. If there was any justice at all they should have had the same rights extended in the European referendum, given that they will have to live with the consequences much longer than their parents and grandparents.

In 2014 the cynics said “what would they know or care about politics” and had to eat their words as that age group got involved as never before in passionate debate on both sides of the argument.

It was invigorating to watch and hear.

The youth parliament is just one route where that enthusiasm can be harnessed and put to good use. So if you’re in that age group – 14 to 25 - chuck your hat in the ring. The future is yours – help to shape it.

The deadline for applying to stand in the next SYP election is this Monday, October 31 - go to www.syp.org.uk/stand4syp to find out more.