Ruth Morrissy, of the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, won the title Ireland Young Thinker of the Year 2016 last week, for an outstanding paper on Irish abortion laws. The runner-up was Sarah Lavin of the Department of Defence for a thoughtful paper on the problems facing young people. At the same joint programme for delegates from Scotland and Ireland, Eloise Vajk of Perth and Kinross Council, with her highly original paper on waitressing tips for life, won the title Scotland Young Thinker of the Year, which she will share with the winner of the stand-alone Young Scotland Programme later this year. Josh Moir of NHS Tayside was Highly Commended across the programmes for a paper on the place of the introvert in society.

This week's face of the programme: Eloise Vajk of Perth and Kinross Council

Booking is open now for the Young Local Authority of the Year 2017 and for the November Young Scotland Programme.