Eurvoice Glasgow 2026

Recently we ran EurVoice Glasgow 2026 at City of Glasgow College, bringing delegates face-to-face with three guest speakers: a Member of the Scottish Youth Parliament (now also a UK Youth Parliament rep), the Student President at City of Glasgow College, and Dr Joe Greenwood from the University of Glasgow’s John Smith Centre, who researches youth political engagement.

The format consisted of a few questions from our hosts, then over to delegates for a fascinating Q&A with our guests, covering a wide range of topics and with some key takeaways and themes…

1. You don’t need to have everything planned out

Our MSYP speaker was candid and honest about how her own political journey didn’t begin with being overwhelmingly interested in joining the Scottish Youth Parliament – it was motivated by her UCAS application, which is perfectly understandable. However, once she was actually in the room, meeting people and discussing critical issues, it sparked a keen interest in youth politics and how it can actually affect change. The takeaway was that you don’t always need a grand plan or virtuous motivation, you can often fall into and find yourself accidentally doing what you love. She recommended starting lunch clubs, debating with other students, and creating discussion at a small scale to try new things, which can then blossom and develop further.

2. Brave spaces

One theme that kept resurfacing was the idea of a brave space – somewhere it’s totally fine to say “I don’t know that yet, but I’m here to learn,” rather than feeling you need every answer before you’re allowed to take part. Dr Greenwood backed this up with his research, saying that the idea that politics is “not for us,” or that you don’t know enough to have a view, is one of the biggest barriers to engagement at any age. On reflecting on a question about whether under-16s should be part of these conversations, he added: “Why are we not talking to people lower than 16? So maybe it’s worth us making that effort.”

3. Youth issues

Public transport, housing, the cost of living, and unfair extra course costs all came up repeatedly, especially as problems delegates and speakers alike were having to personally deal with. One of the most interesting moments of the Q&A came when delegates pushed all three speakers on mandatory voting, all of whom ultimately argued against it, on the basis that a right to vote should include a right not to vote. It was a fantastic example of delegates expressing their own voices and getting honest, considered answers rather than rehearsed ones.

All of these themes resonate with what we in EYPUK are trying to do: build spaces where young people feel able to engage with political issues honestly, without needing to be experts first. Whether it’s the idea that getting involved can start small and accidentally, or that the issues young people care most about deserve to be taken seriously, the conversation at EurVoice Glasgow reflected exactly the kind of open, non-partisan dialogue we try to foster across all of our events. A big thank you goes to the City of Glasgow College, the Glasgow Student Association, our guest speakers, every delegate and organisers that made it possible!