Isles swimmer gets a place on national sports panel

Swimmer Amy Harper, 20, from Gulberwick, has won a place on the first Young People’s Sport Panel, a project to promote the benefits of sport to young people across the country.

Sports panel members come from all over Scotland and its members all have one thing in common: an inspirational attitude towards sport.

The panel is part of a strategic partnership between Sportscotland, the national agency for sport, and Young Scot, the national youth and information and citizenship charity. It is an opportunity to ensure that the younger generation plays an active and significant role in influencing and shaping the future of sport in Scotland.

Following a series of interviews, 16 young people were selected to sit on the first panel. A spokesman said the standard of the 180 applicants was incredibly high and was indicative of the talented and dedicated young people interested and involved in sport in Scotland.

Panel members will work together and on their own to influence the future of sport and help raise awareness of sport in Scotland. They will create online content, videos and blogs and share their sporting experiences, stories and case studies to help and inspire more young people to get involved in sport.

In school and club sport they will provide their ideas, views and recommendations to both Sportscotland and Young Scot to help shape the future of sport in Scotland.

With the Olympics just finished and the Paralympics fast approaching, the panel will be celebrating the games by publishing stories of what they mean for the athletes, volunteers and spectators.

Amy said: “I am really pleased to have been selected for this opportunity. The prospect of competing for only a handful of places with other young people from all over Scotland was at first quite daunting but when the interview tasks got under way I became more confident in the group and individual tasks.

“It showed me that young Shetlanders should never be overawed when getting involved with mainland projects – we have clearly got a lot to offer Scottish sport.”

SIC active schools co-ordinator Louise Jamieson said: “We are really pleased Amy has stood out among hundreds of applicants and been selected for this opportunity. She can give Shetland sport a voice and our sport and leisure team are looking forward to mentoring Amy and supporting her with the projects and tasks she will be undertaking.”

Sportscotland chief executive Stewart Harris added: “This is an exciting and unique opportunity for the nation’s youth to play an invaluable role in raising the profile and developing the future of sport in Scotland.

“The sport panel will be able to help determine the structure of sport, and ensure that their generation is fully engaged with the decision-making process.

“Sportscotland is committed to developing and supporting a world-class sporting system at all levels, and a key focus of our work towards this goal is to collaborate closely with young people.”