Third sector takes the title!

You would be forgiven for believing the recent Young Scotland Programme had taken place in tropical climes – temperatures in Ayrshire soared to an unseasonably warm 25˚C!

Twenty-one delegates from a range of public and third sector organisations gathered at Western House Hotel, Ayr, from 26-29 May, to share their views on a multitude of issues. We heard papers on health and well-being, technology and media, careers and the workplace, and many other areas.

The title, Scotland Young Thinker of the Year 2026, went to Amy Shearer from CHAS. Her winning paper looked at weight bias towards women in the NHS. The adjudicator commented: ‘This was a campaigning paper drawing attention to how, for years, women’s health has not been taken seriously by the medical profession. She used personal testimony to highlight a current issue and then explored it with vigour and even the odd touch of humour. Amy was a stylish presenter, with expressive delivery and good projection’.

The runner-up award went to Tilda Nilsson of Age Scotland for a probing and well-researched paper on how the surveillance state has impacted our lives. She pondered whether we have modified our behaviour in public to avoid becoming the next internet meme. Tilda was a naturally gifted presenter with excellent poise and presence at the lectern.

The winning group in the Group Challenge was Group A (Thomas Hatfield, Scottish Water; Marc Ingram, Dyslexia Scotland; Beth Orkisz, Volunteer Glasgow; C-Jay Quigley, The Duke of Edinburgh's Award) for an entertaining and memorable presentation on the concept of ‘truth’. The group used a wide range of role play to illustrate many angles of the concept and demonstrated excellent team work.

A special award for best 90-Second Challenge went to Kirsty Barnett from National Records of Scotland. When asking ‘Why Are Women Obsessed with True Crime?’, she gave a polished presentation, packed with relevant research and memorable phrases.

Thank you from the organising team to all delegates for being part of such an enthusiastic and friendly group. It’s not often delegates leave the Young Scotland Programme with a tan!

Our next Scottish event teams up with Northern Ireland and will take place from 17-20 November 2026. Booking is open: to secure a place/s now, please see upcoming events.