Young people will meet regularly for an initial period of 11 months

Scotland’s National Suicide Prevention Leadership Group (NSPLG) is launching a youth advisory group to inform and improve policy from the perspective of those with lived experience.

Established by the Scottish Government and COSLA, NSPLG brings together people with lived experience of suicide alongside, academic, professional third sector, and statutory partners to support the delivery of Scotland’s Suicide Prevention Action Plan: Every Life Matters. 

Children in Scotland is partnering with the Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professionals Research Unit (NMAHP-RU) at the University of Stirling to manage the new Youth Advisory Group.

It will assemble a panel of 12 young people aged 16 to 25 who will meet regularly for an initial period of 11 months to gather and share views to inform future policy.

Amy Woodhouse, head of policy, projects & participation at Children in Scotland said: “'It is a privilege to be supporting the development of this new and important Youth Advisory Group. The group illustrates our shared commitment to putting the views and experiences of children and young people at the heart of decision making.  

"It is vital that young people's views on suicide prevention are heard and they have the chance to use their lived experience to improve future policy making in this area.  We are really looking forward to working with group members and together with University of Stirling and the Leadership Group, making it a rewarding and positive experience for everyone.”

The launch of the new advisory group comes in the wake of a 2019 review of suicide prevention policy by the University of Stirling and NMAHP-RU which found that policy wasn’t meeting the needs of children and young people.

An increasing ask from services is that policy reflects the experience of and the needs of children and young people.