Liberal Youth Scotland
| Scottish Young Liberals | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| President | Joanne Ferguson |
| Vice President | Hannah Bettsworth |
| Founded | 2008 (in current form) |
| Headquarters | 4 Clifton Terrace, Edinburgh, EH12 5DR |
| Ideology |
Social Liberalism Federalism Centrism |
| Mother party | Scottish Liberal Democrats |
| International affiliation | International Federation of Liberal and Radical Youth (IFLRY) |
| European affiliation | European Liberal Youth (LYMEC) |
| UK affiliation | Young Liberals |
| Website | |
Scottish Young Liberals is the Youth and Student wing of the Scottish Liberal Democrats. Reformed from the Scottish Young Liberal Democrats in 2008 and Liberal Youth Scotland in 2017, the organisation has taken a prominent role in party conferences. Its membership is open to any member of the Liberal Democrats living, working or studying in Scotland and is either under 26 years of age or in full or part-time education above that age.
SLY has branches across Scotland including various Scottish Universities, and seeks to promote the work and campaigning of the party and LYS. It is also a part of the UK Federal Young Liberals. Joanne Ferguson is the current President as of April 2016.
In November 2008, an interim committee was elected including Tom Maidwell as President, Ruaraidh Dobson as Vice-President, Anna Rothwell as Treasurer and Ailsa McGregor as Secretary. This committee saw the group through its successful launch event at the Scottish Liberal Democrats Conference Spring 2009 in Perth. At this conference, LYS submitted two motions, one on the Minimum Income Guarantee for students, and one on investigating the ban on homosexual and bisexual men from giving blood, both of which were passed overwhelmingly. Also, Ruaraidh Dobson picked up the award for best speech at conference, for his summation of the Minimum Income Guarantee motion.
Scottish Young Liberals is part of the federal structure of Young Liberals and its President is the Scottish Convenor of that organisation. Scottish Young Liberals is responsible for tailoring YL campaigns to match political circumstances in Scotland, and for developing indigenous campaigns that reflect the status of Scotland in the United Kingdom.
As of April 2016, the office bearers of Liberal Youth Scotland are as follows:
A representative from every Scottish Young Liberals branch is also entitled to sit on the Executive as a voting member. This committee will serve until the group's AGM in March 2013 and a full election and all member ballot.
As of 2011, SLY also elects an Honorary President and two Honorary Vice-Presidents who are members of the Scottish Liberal Democrats to serve as figureheads, and provide advice to the executive.
All Liberal Democrat university societies within Scotland are affiliated to Young Liberals.
Scottish Young Liberals, through the UK Federal structure, is a member of two international youth organisations:
Scottish Young Liberals is an Associated Organisation of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, with one seat on the Scottish Liberal Democrat National Executive Committee and one seat on each of the Party's other Standing Committees (Policy, Campaigns & Candidates, Finance and Membership and Conference Committees). This enables young members in the party the opportunities to fully engage in the decision making process. SYL also serves as an advisory body to the Scottish Liberal Democrats on a number of issues.
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