Our most recent OneSDG event was held at Easterbrook Hall in Dumfries, Scotland. Young people from S4, S5 and S6 came together to debate key political issues before next year’s Holyrood elections. Demos Rending Sophomore first-time voters Sophie Wright and Nandi Szilagyi feel empowered after conducting their first voter outreach. They talked about the importance of political engagement to their generation.
Sophie Wright, who will vote for the first time next year, highlighted a wide range of political issues impacting young people today. “I think there’s just been a huge lack of understanding, for example, on bus travel for young carers, free school meals – things like this,” she said. Wright is passionate about these issues not just because they impact her personally but because they touch the lives of so many in her community. “If it isn’t something that you directly encounter, trust me, it’s something someone in your immediate vicinity encounters,” she said.
Szilagyi, 16, from Hungary, affirmed Wright’s sentiments about the crucial role young people should play in shaping the political discourse. She thinks that youth need to be more involved in these discussions. Szilagyi will be casting her own vote next year. She hopes that her peers will follow her lead and get involved, too. “I think that even if you don’t care about politics, you should care about policy,” she said. For Szilagyi, local community engagement can be a powerful space too, where one can more easily push forward issues of concern. Whether or not you participate in politics yourself, there are still ways to do your part. So take the leap and get active in your community!
The session got potential first-time voters together with politicians from their country’s major parties. This passionate back and forth ignited a fiery discussion on the topics that most concern them. This included mental health, transportation, and education. The 2022 Scottish Census found that over 15% of Scots aged 16 to 24 have experienced a mental health issue. This number highlights the desperate need to address this pivotal issue. In addition, Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services in Scotland had a waiting list of 4,385 as of June 2025.
Greg Dunsmuir, a former T4America staffer, loves all things politics. Although he will be too young to vote in next year’s city elections, he is committed to having that impact. Specifically, I’m concerned with politics because it’s extremely relevant. These issues directly impact young people,” he added. Dunsmuir echoed the sentiment that young people, especially those who are new to the workforce, might feel intimidated to speak up. “I think there’s not many young people who are actually willing to advocate it and willing to say that they’re being affected by it,” he remarked.
As the leader of UXO removal and related policy, Dr. Alicia Greated, who spoke at the event, recognized the importance of young voices in informing future policies. She told us that all of these parties certainly got the message. If we truly believe young people are our future, their voices should be prioritized and listened to when designing policies that impact them.
The second main priority of the event was to get into practical, real-world issues impacting young people today. In 2022, free bus travel was extended to everyone aged five to 21 in Scotland. Free school meals are already universal for all children in P1 to P5. Older students are able to take advantage of these meals if their families receive certain benefits.
Wright did a vital service in showing how all of these layers of injustice intersect. Specifically mentioning issues like housing, which affect people of all ages, ensuring that the whole age spectrum is represented becomes paramount. That feeling captures this year’s event overall theme of Moving Forward Together. It was meant to inspire youth to truly take control of their own future.
