We are all looking forward to the arrival in Troon – later this month – of the Young Ireland Programme delegates. Click here to meet them. This lively annual event takes place in Scotland every year. Demand for places has been so high this year that an additional programme has been scheduled for January and will run alongside the Young Scotland and Northern Ireland Programme 2020. Both these events are now fully booked.

The first Young England and Wales Programme of 2020 is now open for booking! The dates are 25th to 28th February. The venue is Lancaster House Hotel, Lancaster. Click here for brochure with full details and booking form.

What a great delegate group at the 2019 Young Scotland Programme – so engaged and mutually supportive throughout the event. At the awards ceremony on the final evening Ben Jones (Scottish Government) won the title Scotland Young Thinker of the Year 2019 for his 'thoughtful, deeply open and honest, touching and brave' paper on the growth on an unlikely friendship. It was described by the chief adjudicator as 'very powerful and humane, with a strong pay-off… delivered in a confident, conversational style'.

Rebekah Miller (Scottish Government) was runner-up with a 'considered paper which championed the worth of older people… delivered with poise and confidence'. Greg Paterson (Highlands and Islands Enterprise) was highly commended for his 'thorough deconstruction of the tactic of romanticising history to suit a modern agenda'. There were two commendations: Melissa Jeffrey (Scottish Government) for her passionate paper on the benefits of modern apprenticeships, and Abbie Purkis (Food Standards Scotland) on our attitudes to ageing.

The winning group was Group H (Kathryn Howell, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Ben Jones, Scottish Government, Amber Souter, Food Standards Scotland, and Lori Tait, Scottish Government) for their presentation on 'identity'; and the award for the Best 90 Second Challenge went to Leanne Garden (Food Standards Scotland) who asked the question: 'Do animals have a sense of humour?' Click here for photos from the programme.