Irvine’s member of the Scottish Youth Parliament (MSYP) is urging other youngsters to step forward.

The SYP are on the lookout for the next young representatives for Scotland, as the current two-year tenure comes to an end in June 2019.

But anyone keen to express their interest in standing as a candidate is urged to act quickly – as the deadline for nominations closes on October 31.

Chloé Robertson, MSYP for Cunninghame South, has called on the area’s 14-25 years olds to get involved in the Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP).

And the former Marymass Mary, who herself will be running for another term, says the experience inspired her to help young people dealing with mental health issues and those who have suffered abuse.

Chloé said: “Being an MSYP has been a challenging and rewarding experience. All you need is a passion for making a change and dedication to representing young people in your area.

“I’ve done so many things I never thought I’d be able to. I got involved with youth groups across North Ayrshire such as the youth executive, became an Irvine Community Councillor and got involved in local projects around the area.

“I’ve been elected to a more senior role within the parliament as a convener of the health and wellbeing committee which meant I had a lot of important meetings with decision-makers in parliament.”

The election takes place next March. To register an expression of interest, visit: elections.syp.org.uk