Trans Rights Youth Commission
The Trans Rights Youth Commission is a group on young trans people aged 13-25 who take action on trans rights in Scotland. The youth commission meet for “development days” every 6-8 weeks where they participate in skills development workshops and complete project work. Additional planning meetings and meetings with decision-makers take place as required. Over the past year the youth commission’s focus has been on campaigning for the Gender Recognition Reform (GRR) Bill, working in close partnership with the policy team at LGBTYS. A core aim of this youth commission was to ensure young people were included as key participants in conversations and decision-making around their rights.
How young people shape the Commission
Youth commissions are co-produced, meaning youth workers and young people make decisions together about the direction of the project. Young people are supported to develop the skills, knowledge and confidence the need to carry out the project. Youth commissioners decide the issues they want to focus on and the activities they want to undertake to achieve their aims with support and guidance from staff, who offer their expertise in order to inform decision making, while recognising and valuing the young people as experts in their own experience. Young people plan their own events, campaigning activities and meetings with MSPs and other decision makers. Participation in youth commissions is flexible, meaning that young people can participate in a way that works for them and everyone’s contributions and strengths are valued.
How young people’s views have been used in decision-making
Youth commissioners gave evidence to the Equality, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee at Stage 1 of the GRR Bill, contributed to LGBT Youth Scotland’s stage 2 and 3 briefings for the Bill and met with MSPs from different political parties to gain their support for GRR. As a direct result of their conversations with MSPs, young people from the commission were quoted both directly and indirectly by MSPs during the Stage 3 debate of the Bill. The work of the commission contributed significantly to the age of legal recognition being lowered to 16 and the Bill passing by a significant majority and with cross-party support at the end of 2022.
What young people said
“It’s been really important to be because I’ve been trying to engage on my own to keep up to date with trans rights, but it ends up being a lot of negativity that you are consuming as a bystander and it becomes a weight. But the youth commission feels like a really empowering thing to be a part of. You’ve got your independence but you’ve got the support of your peers and [youth workers].”
“I feel like being in the youth commission has given me a confidence in myself and my knowledge that I didn't have before. I feel like I have the skills and support to do whatever I believe I can do.”
“I’ve really enjoyed development days, I like that even though we are talking about serious things it’s relaxing. I like we start with an open chat and then split into smaller groups to be more focussed. I feel like as they went on people became more aware of each other’s strengths and were aware of what each other could bring.”
Contact info to find out more:
Paul Daly, Policy and Research Manager at LGBT Youth Scotland: Paul.daly@lgbtyouth.org.uk
Sarah Anderson, Policy and Participation Officer at LGBT Youth Scotland sarah.anderson@lgbtyouth.org.uk
