Applicants submitted an application form, and those who were selected to progress to the next stage were then invited to an assessment session conducted by Scottish Cycling staff and previous Young Peoples Panel members. Through this, they were observed working in a group which also involved a presentation piece, participated in a one-on-one interview and finally a written reflection piece. Candidates commented on the value of this experience to them, with many noting it was the first time they had gone through an interview/application process.
We were delighted by the breadth and depth of the applications received, which has allowed us to select a panel of young people that demonstrates the diversity of the sport: across the disciplines and across the country.
The 12 panel members are as follows:
- Aidan, West Highland Wheelers
- Arryn, Lomond Riders
- Ava, Deeside Thistle CC
- David, Glasgow Track Racing Club
- Emily, Dumfries CC
- Fraser, South Lanarkshire
- Harris, Wolfpax Riders
- Isla, Stirling BC
- Kasey, Edinburgh RC
- Nyasha, City of Edinburgh
- Oswald, Edinburgh RC
- Vyaan, West Lothian Clarion CC
You can find more about why the panel members joined the YPP below:
Aidan – “I love everything about cycling and supporting others. I enjoy leading other younger children and helping to ensure they enjoy the sport. I have lots to offer and have been attending events with my mum from a very young age as she is a commissaire for the sport.”
Arryn – “I joined to prove to every young person in Scotland how fun and exciting/thrilling the sport cycling is, everyone in my area or school are all into football so trying to explain I’m a mountain biker which is a head sport if you take it seriously no one believes you because they think you just hop on a bike and ride down a hill but there is way more aspects than that, I want to be able to prove that to everyone and try to get more people into our sport.”
Ava – “I joined the Scottish Cycling Young People’s Panel, as I am a proud rider of Deeside Thistle and I love that I can compete on my bike all over Scotland. I would like the opportunity to be more involved with Scottish Cycling, not only just in the cycling aspect but to also have a say and input in a sport I love to do. I am passionate about improving the sport for women & girls as this is an areas where I think more can be done.”
David – “I joined the YPP as I believe every young person should have the opportunity to get on a bike and have fun. I believe that cycling is a sport that so many people are brought together to get fit but also to have fun with friends. Without cycling I wouldn’t be the person I am today and I think that if can encourage one person to get on a bike and to get out with either friends or to race then I’d be delighted.”
Emily – “I want to feel like I have more of a leg to stand on when trying to promote cycling to my community and also on a wider sphere. I would like to remove stigma around cycling and educate people upon this. Cyclists tend to be banded into one group which is discriminated against and I feel this needs to change in order to encourage more people to cycle.”
Fraser – “I joined the YPP to meet new people and be more involved with the sport I love. I think the sport could be more accessible as the price of bikes and kit these days is expensive. I am also passionate about pumptrack racing and would like to expand this area of the sport.”
Harris – “One of the reasons that I joined the panel is to fuel my passion for biking, represent my community, engage in meaningful outreach, develop essential skills, and make a positive impact on youth cycling in Scotland.”
Isla – “I joined to help give youths a voice in cycling as we should be able to make decisions about our sport rather than leaving it to adults to decide everything. I would also like to push the sport to younger girls as there is a lack of females in the sport and they do not get the same recognition as males.”
Nyasha – “I love mountain biking in Scotland. It helps me express myself, I get to meet amazing people and explore so many beautiful places. The facilities available for everyone across the country are incredible and I hope I can help spread the word and inspire more people of all ages and abilities to try mountain biking for themselves.”
Oswald – “I joined the YPP to meet new people who love cycling as much as I do. I also think it’s a great opportunity to get more youngsters into the sport. The more cyclists we have the better the sport will become.”
Vyann – “I love riding my bikes, I love racing and progressing through a sport I cannot get enough of. I am delighted to be part of a great team in the Young Peoples Panel to help other ideas/plans come to life, as it will also allow me to put my many ideas forward to get more people into the sport and make it more accessible as well as making racing even better and even more fun for everybody. I want to help make the future of cycling in Scotland great for everyone.”
The panel have just returned from their team building residential at Glenmore Lodge in Aviemore, where as well as getting to know each other and building relationships, they discussed the barriers to participations facing Women & Girls, set Goals for their time on panel and agreed the group values based on what matters to them. The next meet up for the panel is at the Scottish Cycling Conference at Crieff Hydro where they will have a session on young leaders in sport.
The Young People’s Panel has been appointed for a two year term, running from August 2023 to August 2025. Stay tuned for more information about their key areas of work and priorities.