Scots seeking influential youngsters

A Scottish government initiative to give young people the opportunity to influence decision makers is to include Jews for the first time.

Young Scot launched its "Access All Areas" project last year with other ethnic minority and faith groups across Scotland. Now it is teaming up up with SCoJeC, the Scottish Council of Jewish Communities, to involve around a dozen 15-25-year-olds, who will choose a topic of communal concern to investigate. For example, last year's projects covered issues such as racism, bullying, cultural diversity and transport.The Jewish group's inquiry will finish with a report which will be passed on to the relevant decision-makers.

SCoJeC council member Nicola Livingston said: "We hope the outcome for us as a community will be a piece of good quality research, measuring an aspect of young people's thoughts and feelings about being young and Jewish in Scotland today."