Scottish Socialist Youth
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| Scottish Socialist Youth | |
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| Founded | 2001 |
| Headquarters | 70 Stanley Street Glasgow, G41 1JB |
| Mother party | Scottish Socialist Party |
| Website | www.ssy.org.uk |
Scottish Socialist Youth (SSY) is the youth wing of the Scottish Socialist Party.
SSY is an anti-capitalist, anti-racist and anti-globalisation organisation. SSY stands for the creation of an independent, socialist Scotland.
SSY have produced a charter outlining their policies, many of which are broadly similar to the SSP's. They have also been involved in campaigns for the legalisation of cannabis and were involved in the campaign against the G8 summit at Gleneagles. They were also heavily involved in campaigning for the SSP during the 2005 UK general election and in the 2007 Scottish Parliament and council elections (many members are standing as SSP candidates). Currently they are campaigning against low pay for young workers, and are arguing for an £8 per hour minimum wage regardless of age. They have produced workers' rights cards to let young workers know what they are entitled to and how to get it.
SSY publishes a magazine, Leftfield, with contributions from members and supporters. They also have a regular column in the Scottish Socialist Voice, the weekly newspaper of the SSP.
SSY enjoys good links with students in Scotland, particularly through various socialist societies at universities and colleges throughout the country, and has a strong online presence at their web forum.
They also organise an annual summer camp called 'Camp Secret Squirrel'.
[edit] Internal Democracy
Although the SSY is affiliated to the Scottish Socialist Party, it is an autonomous body and is open to all socialists under 27 living in Scotland.
The day to day running of the SSY is the responsibility of the National Organiser, assisted by the National Executive Committee which plays a leadership role. The NEC is elected at the annual National Conference with its membership split equally between men and women. The Ntional Organiser is elected at the conference also. Additionally, SSY has branches across Scotland that conduct activity in their area.
SSY held its fifth National Conference in Glasgow in November 2006. Former National Co-Organiser James Nesbitt stood down leaving Jack Ferguson to exercise the National Organiser role alone. Substantial reform to the organisation's structures also took place.
[edit] Women's Group
SSY also have a self-organised women's group, to which all young women are invited. They first assembled at Camp Secret Squirrel, the SSY summer camp, in 2005 and have continued to meet since.
The aim of the Women's Group is to create a space for young socialist women to talk about the issues that affect them. The Women’s Group feel that, in a male dominated environment, young women can be sidelined and may feel that their opinion is less valid. The SSY Women’s Group aims to give young women confidence in their abilities.
At the SSY Conference 2005, the Women's Group decided that their main campaign would be on sex education, in particular, discouraging and campaigning against abstinence-only education which is currently being funded by the Scottish Executive to run in some state schools. Their campaign 'Fuck Abstinence!', involves giving information on reproductive rights to young women denied adequate sex education, has led some of the young women involved being sent graphic intimidatory literature by an anti-abortion group.
