Glasgow Youth Council Policy Log

1. Glasgow Youth CouncilPolicy Log

2. An Introduction to our Policy Log • There are three types of Policy Motion in our Policy Log: • Manifesto Commitments – the eight motions which make up our manifesto, ‘To Listen, To Speak, To Change,’ which were decided after consultation with over 1,000 Young People. • Statements – Motions proposed and debated at Full Council Meetings by Youth Councillors which become policy with an affirmative (YES) vote of 50+1% or more of those present. These make up the majority of the Policy Log. • Recommendations – Motions which are recommended by the Executive Committee, and are agreed to by the full Council. If a Youth Councillor objects to a recommendation, it must be proposed as a statement.

3. Manifesto Commitments

4. Equal Pay • “The Glasgow Youth Council believes that the minimum and living wage should be the same for all workers who do the same job, regardless of age.” • Motion was published in the 2016 GYC Manifesto, ‘To Listen, To Speak, To Change.’ • It will be reviewed in September 2021.

5. College and University Places • “The Glasgow Youth Council believes that more funding should be invested into increasing college and university places of Young People.” • Motion was published in the 2016 GYC Manifesto, ‘To Listen, To Speak, To Change.’ • It will be reviewed in September 2021.

6. Youth Unemployment • “The Glasgow Youth Council believes that more should be done to tackle Youth unemployment.” • Motion was published in the 2016 GYC Manifesto, ‘To Listen, To Speak, To Change.’ • It will be reviewed in September 2021.

7. Funding for Youth Work • “The Glasgow Youth Council believes that funding for youth work should be protected in the Glasgow City Council budget.” • Motion was published in the 2016 GYC Manifesto, ‘To Listen, To Speak, To Change.’ • It will be reviewed in September 2021.

8. Teaching Staff Shortages • “The Glasgow Youth Council believes that combating the shortages of teaching staff in schools should be a priority for the Scottish Government.” • Motion was published in the 2016 GYC Manifesto, ‘To Listen, To Speak, To Change.’ • It will be reviewed in September 2021.

9. Access to Public Transport • “The Glasgow Youth Council believes that access to public transport should be increased across Glasgow.” • Motion was published in the 2016 GYC Manifesto, ‘To Listen, To Speak, To Change.’ • It will be reviewed in September 2021.

10. Public Transport Affordability • “The Glasgow Youth Council believes that public transport should be made more affordable, especially for Young People.” • Motion was published in the 2016 GYC Manifesto, ‘To Listen, To Speak, To Change.’ • It will be reviewed in September 2021.

11. Social Work and Care • “The Glasgow Youth Council believes that funding to social work and care should be protected.” • Motion was published in the 2016 GYC Manifesto, ‘To Listen, To Speak, To Change.’ • It will be reviewed in September 2021.

12. Education

13. LGBTQI+ Inclusivity • “The Glasgow Youth Council believes that Young LGBTQI+ People should be represented equally and included in all forms of education, particularly in primary and secondary education, and supports the work of the Time for Inclusive Education Campaign in helping to achieve this goal.” • Motion was moved by Jack Dudgeon YC and seconded by Samuel Cook YC at the June 2016 full Council meeting • It will be reviewed in June 2018

14. Access to Education • “The Glasgow Youth Council believes that young people across the world are entitled to an education, as it is a basic human right.” • Motion was moved by Samuel Cook YC and seconded by Jack Dudgeon YC at the June 2016 full Council meeting • It will be reviewed in June 2018

15. Protection of Teaching Staff Numbers • “The Glasgow Youth Council believes that teaching staff numbers in Glasgow schools should not be reduced to ensure that all students can reach a positive destination upon leaving school.” • Motion was moved by Danny Raja YC and seconded by Carly Horne YC at the June 2016 full Council meeting. • It will be reviewed in June 2018.

16. Accessibility to Higher Education • “The Glasgow Youth Council believes that higher education should be available to anyone and everyone who merits it, and further believes that free university tuition should be extended to all students who secure a place at a Scottish University or Higher education institution.” • Motion was moved by Carly Horne YC and seconded by Thomas McEachan YC at the July 2016 full Council meeting. • It will be reviewed in July 2018.

17. SQA Appeals • “The Glasgow Youth Council believes that there should be no fee imposed on students by the SQA with regards to the re-marking of exam papers to ensure that all students, regardless of socio-economic background, have equal access to the appeals process.” • Recommendation was made by the Executive Committee and agreed to by the Council at the August 2016 full Council meeting. • It was reviewed in August 2017, and renewed for one year. • It will be reviewed again in August 2018.

18. Education on Rights • “The Glasgow Youth Council believes that all Young People should be informed and educated about their rights with regards to the justice system.” • Recommendation was made by the Executive Committee and agreed to by the Council at the August 2016 full Council meeting. • It was reviewed in August 2017, and renewed for one year. • It will be reviewed again in August 2018.

19. Recognition of Voluntary Awards • “The Glasgow Youth Council believes that higher and further education institutions should formally recognise the awards and accreditations that Young People can receive through voluntary organisations.” • Recommendation was made by the Executive Committee and agreed to by the Council at the August 2016 full Council meeting. • It was reviewed in August 2017, and renewed for one year. • It will be reviewed again in August 2018.

20. Educational Attainment Gap • “The Glasgow Youth Council believes that in a modern society there is no excuse for an “educational attainment gap,” and steps must be taken to remove it. • Recommendation was made by the Executive Committee and agreed to by the Council at the August 2016 full Council meeting. • It was reviewed in August 2017, and renewed for one year. • It will be reviewed again in August 2018.

21. Cafeteria Menu Accessibility • “The Glasgow Youth Council believes that there should be vegetarian, vegan, dairy free, gluten free, halal and kosher menu options in the cafeterias of all Glasgow-based educational institutions.” • Recommendation was made by the Executive Committee and agreed to by the Council at the August 2016 full Council meeting. • It was reviewed in August 2017, and renewed for one year. • It will be reviewed again in August 2018.

22. Accessibility to Higher Education • “The Glasgow Youth Council believes that all students who require it should be financially supported to ensure their economic status does not limit their ability to participate in higher or further education.” • Recommendation was made by the Executive Committee and agreed to by the Council at the August 2016 full Council meeting. • It was reviewed in August 2017 and renewed for one year. • It will be reviewed again in August 2018.

23. Funding to Educational Institutions • “The Glasgow Youth Council believes that funding to all higher and further education institutions should be protected at all levels of government.” • Recommendation was made by the Executive Committee and agreed to by the Council at the August 2016 full Council meeting. • It was reviewed in August 2017 and renewed for one year. • It will be reviewed again in August 2018.

24. Tolerance through Education • “The Glasgow Youth Council believes that educating primary school pupils on all major religions is essential to tackling religious discrimination and promoting a tolerant society.” • Recommendation was made by the Executive Committee and agreed to by the Council at the August 2016 full Council meeting. • It was reviewed in August 2017 and renewed for one year. • It will be reviewed in August 2018.

25. Tackling LGBTQI+ Discrimination • “The Glasgow Youth Council believes that school inspections should investigate instances of LGBTQI+ discrimination.” • Recommendation was made by the Executive Committee and agreed to by the Council at the November 2016 full Council meeting. • It will be reviewed in November 2017.

26. LGBTQI+ Teacher Training • “The Glasgow Youth Council believes that there should be more training opportunities available for teachers to tackle homophobic and transphobic bullying in schools and other education institutions.” • Recommendation was made by the Executive Committee and agreed to by the full Council at the November 2016 full Council meeting. • It will be reviewed in November 2017.

27. Sex Education • “The Glasgow Youth Council believes that inclusive and comprehensive sex education should be provided to pupils in all Glasgow secondary schools, regardless of an institution’s religious denomination.” • Motion was moved by Mhairi Fraser YC and seconded by Alana McKenna YC at the November 2016 full Council meeting. • It will be reviewed in November 2018.

28. School Uniform Policy • “The Glasgow Youth Council believes that in order to ensure a truly inclusive school environment that promotes equality for all gender identities, uniform policies should not reinforce gender stereotypes.” • Motion was moved by Mhairi Fraser YC and seconded by Alana McKenna YC at the November 2016 full Council meeting. • It will be reviewed in November 2018.

29. Private Schools Charitable Status • “The Glasgow Youth Council believes that Independent and Private schools should not be able to claim charitable status unless they take measures to become more inclusive and strive to benefit the public as a whole, not just those with the ability to pay.” • Motion was moved by Jack Dudgeon YC and seconded by Alana McKenna YC at the February 2017 full Council meeting. • It will be reviewed in February 2019.

30. Protection of Student Exchange Programmes • “The Glasgow Youth Council believes that European exchange programmes such as Euroscholar and Erasmus should be protected regardless of the outcomes of the Brexit negotiations.” • Motion was moved by Khaled Emkidh YC and seconded by Joel Meekison YC at the February 2017 full Council meeting. • It will be reviewed in February 2019.

31. Comprehensive PSHE • “The Glasgow Youth Council believes that the Scottish Government and Local Authorities should implement an improved and comprehensive PSHE curriculum that would include issues such as bullying, mental health and tackling discrimination in all its forms.” • Motion was moved by Aqeel Ahmed YC and seconded by Calum MacLeod YC at the February 2017 meeting of the full Council. • It will be reviewed in February 2019.

32. School Counsellors • “The Glasgow Youth Council believes that Glasgow City Council should ensure that there is a sufficient number of school-based counsellors to support pupils to ensure that all Young People are receiving the support and information they need.” • Motion was moved by Carly Horne YC and seconded by Anthea Koon YC at the February 2017 full Council meeting. • It will be reviewed in February 2019.

33. Pupil Equity Fund • “The Glasgow Youth Council commends the positive steps taken by the Scottish Government in tackling the attainment gap through the ‘pupil equity fund,’ which plans to share £120 million amongst schools in deprived areas. However, Council believes that the fund could be more effective and serve more Young Glaswegians if further steps were taken to guide the spending decisions of senior management teams by providing them with evidence from academics, experts and pupils.” • Motion was proposed by Carly Horne YC and seconded by Aqeel Ahmed YC at the May 2017 full Council meeting. • It will be reviewed in May 2019.

34. Continuous Assessment • “The Glasgow Youth Council believes that examinations are an altogether ineffective method of testing students’ knowledge, and that continuous assessment of coursework and performance is a much better indicator of how well students understand a particular subject. Council further believes that the Scottish Government should review the current system of exam-based testing, and instead move to a more comprehensive and fair testing system to award qualifications.” • Motion was proposed by Jason Black YC and seconded by Conor Eskdale YC at the May 2017 full Council meeting. • It will be reviewed in May 2019.

35. Inclusive Schooling • “The Glasgow Youth Council believes that more training must be provided to primary and secondary school teachers in Glasgow with regards to young people with autism and Asperger’s syndrome being included in mainstream schooling.” • Motion was proposed by Aqeel Ahmed YC (on behalf of Jessica McGaw YC) and seconded by Calum McLeod YC at the August 2017 full council meeting. • It will be reviewed in August 2019.

36. Tuition-free Education • “The Glasgow Youth Council notes that tuition-free education has failed to see more working class young people graduate from higher and further education institutions.” • Motion was proposed by Carly Horne YC, seconded by Lewis McDermott YC and amended by Keiran O’Neill YC at the November 2017 full council meeting. • It will be reviewed in November 2019.

37. Work Experience • “The Glasgow Youth Council believes that all secondary schools in Glasgow should offer work experience to pupils, to ensure that all pupils have an equal opportunity to gain vital work experience for jobs, UCAS applications and apprenticeships” • Motion was moved by Catherine Mackie YC and seconded by Ross McArthur YC at the February 2018 full council meeting. • It will be reviewed in February 2020.

38. EMA Application Process • "The GYC believes that the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) application process should be substantially reformed and simplified to ensure that no student is faced with financial hardship as a result of minor errors on either side" • Motion was moved by Zanib Ahmad YC and seconded by Aqeel Ahmed YC at the February 2018 full council meeting. • It will be reviewed in February 2020.

39. Bereavement • “The Glasgow Youth Council believes that all secondary schools should help pupils to deal with bereavement, and that teachers should provide support to bereaved pupils to help ensure that pupils are supported during the difficult time of losing a loved one.” • Motion was moved by Catherine Mackie YC and seconded by Keiran O’Neill YC at the June 2018 full council meeting. • It will be reviewed in June 2020.

40. Social Justice

41. Tackling Homelessness • “The Glasgow Youth Council welcomes actions taken by Glasgow City Council in order to positively tackle homelessness in the city.” • Motion was moved by Calum MacLeod YC and seconded by Lori Bell YC at the June 2016 full Council meeting. • It will be reviewed in June 2018

42. Universal Basic Income • “The Glasgow Youth Council believes that a Universal Basic Income, otherwise known as a ‘citizens income,’ should be introduced to ensure that all citizens, no matter their circumstances, can live with dignity and economic security.” • Motion was moved by Thomas McEachan YC and seconded by Carly Horne YC at the July 2016 full Council meeting. • It will be reviewed in July 2018.

43. Funding to Rape Crisis Centres • “The Glasgow Youth Council believes that all funding from local and national government to Rape Crisis centres should be protected.” • Motion was moved by Alana McKenna YC and seconded by Carly Horne YC at the July 2016 full Council meeting. • It will be reviewed in July 2018.

44. Equal Pay • “The Glasgow Youth Council believes that Young People in employment should be entitled to the same rights, protections and pay as all other employees.” • Recommendation was made by the Executive Committee and agreed to by the Council at the August 2016 full Council meeting. • It was reviewed in August 2017 and renewed for one year. • It will be reviewed again in August 2018.

45. Better Than Zero • “The Glasgow Youth Council supports the work of the STUC Youth Committee in their ‘Better than Zero’ campaign, and their continuing campaign against exploitative employment and the injustice of zero hours contracts for Young People.” • Recommendation was made by the Executive Committee and agreed to by the Council at the August 2016 full Council meeting. • It was reviewed in August 2017 and renewed for one year. • It will be reviewed again in August 2018.

46. Access to the Journalistic Sector • “The Glasgow Youth Council believes that regional and national agencies should establish dedicated programmes to help Young People get into the creative and journalistic sector.” • Recommendation was made by the Executive Committee and agreed to by the full Council at the August 2016 full Council meeting. • It was reviewed in August 2017 and renewed for one year. • It will be reviewed again in August 2018.

47. Tackling Crime • “The Glasgow Youth Council believes that Glasgow City Council, Police Scotland and the Scottish government should tackle crime by working with Young People to address its root causes.” • Recommendation was made by the Executive Committee and agreed to by the Council at the August 2016 full Council meeting. • It was reviewed in August 2017 and renewed for one year. • It will be reviewed again in August 2018.

48. Ethnic Minority Representation in the Media • “The Glasgow Youth Council believes that more action should be taken to address the issue of under-representation of ethnic minorities in the mainstream media.” • Motion was moved by Suki Wan YC and seconded by Thomas McEachan YC at the August 2016 full Council meeting. • It will be reviewed in August 2018.

49. Value of EU Nationals • “The Glasgow Youth Council believes that in light of the result of the EU referendum, we should continue to value the contributions of EU Nationals to our culture, society, economy and all other walks of life.” • Motion was moved by Aqeel Ahmed YC and seconded by Lewis O’Neill YC at the August 2016 full Council meeting. • It will be reviewed in August 2018.

50. Nuclear Weapons • “The Glasgow Youth Council believes that the Nuclear Arsenal based in HMNB Clyde should be immediately decommissioned, with the savings of this being invested in conventional means of defence and public services.” • Motion was moved by Jack Dudgeon YC and seconded by Alana McKenna YC at the November 2016 full Council meeting. • It will be reviewed in November 2018.