In conversation with Islay Jackson, a member of the Scottish Youth Parliament and her efforts to volunteer with marine organisations, coming in 2nd out of 500 in her Youth Activist Award.
A sixteen-year-old schoolgirl, Islay Jackson from Glasgow has been inspiring a generation before her with marine volunteering. A member of the Scottish Youth Parliament and marine organisation, where she offers a helping hand to our oceans to escape the threat of plastic waste and climate change while keeping our sea life intact. Islay has been a long-time member of Young Sea Changers and the Marine Conservation Society, who has also volunteered with the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park and serves as a Deputy Convenor for the Transport, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee.
From a young age, Islay developed an interest in the environment by going on family holidays in nature. In primary school, her intrigue remained by getting involved with eco committees before she received the opportunity to be involved in the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Junior Ranger programme. Since the programme, her ambitions only grew to look out for another programme or volunteering experience. Islay realised that when she was around the age of twelve, the opportunity for younger people in these spaces to “develop transferable skills that will one day be useful” were lacking for her generation. Then, opportunity presented itself when Islay first saw the Marine Conservation Society’s Youth Ocean Network, a group specifically aimed at younger people. The Marine Conservation Society’s Youth Ocean Network gave her an understanding of what she “can do [on her] part for our environment and it really just snowballed from there”. She discovered the Young Sea Changers through the Turning the Tide programme, which led her in joining the online forum and the Young People’s Policy Group. Through the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Junior Ranger programme, “becoming an MSYP just felt like the next step of my journey”. Often, she would find herself in youth volunteering thinking it “felt tokenistic, like they’re just trying to tick a box and say ‘Yep, we spoke to the young people!” but with the Youth Parliament, she feels that there is a development for “your voice to mean so much more than a tick-box”. This meant that no matter the age, her “voice has merit”. Her role as a Deputy Convenor led to her developing experience with understanding other people’s views and considering their opinions first, before her own.
“It is quite disheartening” she admits, stating that there is a real lack of opportunity for younger people to be involved in what she does, but this is what keeps her going – the idea that something as simple as sending an email to an MSP could mean that you are already progressing towards change, no matter the cause. “Every little action creates a domino effect and can make a big difference in the world” Within the SYP there are eight committees. Islay represents the Transport, Environment and Rural Affairs committee. “From a glance” she says, it might seem as there are not that many “environment-specific opportunities”, but in the end, your passion leads to what could be changed and representing the younger voice of your constituency means that your voice is heard, because of people like Islay.
Climate change is one of the most pressing issues, but Islay says what has taken her aback is the “announcement from last August that global ocean currents are slowing and could stop as early as this year”. To her shock, this was not mainstream news. From experience of being involved in any way she can, Islay feels that even if it’s not on a bigger scale “your voices amalgamate to create a call for action that will be heard”. To her, admitting the fact that you are not knowledgeable on everything to do with what you are campaigning to make a change in, is still effectively tackling the issue, which she has learned from experienced MSYPs. “The meaningful participation leaves you with a sense of belonging, you know that what you’re doing is going to make a difference”. She has been proud of all her achievements, but the one to highlight is her Youth Activist award, which she received second place out of 500 possible winners.
In her opinion, eco-anxiety only holds you back and is often misunderstood by older generations. There are more proactive ways to contribute, using the fear is what should motivate you, because you never know what is just round the corner if you put your mind to it. Most importantly of all, Islay highlights that the most important thing is to “be the change you want to see, and the voice you want to hear.”
Reach out to Islay:
Islay Jackson
Email her about MSYP enquires: hello@syp.org.uk
Instagram: @islay.jackson.msyp@islay.jackson.msyp
