Scottish Rugby Youth Panel applications open

EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND - OCTOBER 22: Back Row (L-R): Calum Wehmeyer, Charlotte Campbell, Jack Brown, Murray Oliver, Hamish Kennedy, Abi Barrett and Calum Caldwell. Front Row (L-R) : Alan Cruickshank, Morgan Brown, Ellie-Jo Simpson, Georgina Adams, Scarlett Crossan Brown, Hollie Howland and Jay McGuffie during a SRU Youth Panel headshot sesson at BT Murrayfield, on October 20, 2022, in Edinburgh, Scotland. (Photo by Ross MacDonald / SNS Group)

After a successful 2022-2024 term, the Youth Panel is due to be refreshed with new representatives for the November 2024-November 2026 period.

The Youth Panel was restarted after Covid-19 in late 2022 with a renewed commitment to integrating youth perspectives into the decision-making processes that shape the future of rugby in Scotland.

The panel serves as a vital platform where the voices of young players, fans, and enthusiasts are heard, ensuring that their insights contribute meaningfully to the development and growth of the sport at all levels.

Through a series of consultations, workshops and collaborative projects, the previous panel gathered valuable feedback from young people across the country.

The insights highlighted both successes and challenges, and provide a set of recommendations aimed at enhancing the experiences of young people in rugby.

Scottish Rugby Youth Panel lead Gavin Macrae said the Youth Panel provides a fantastic platform for young people to advocate for changes to better the game for everyone.

“If you are 16-24 years-old and are interested in becoming a young leader in rugby, we want to hear from you.

“We’re excited to see applicants from across the country and for those new panelists to represent their communities on the national stage,” Gavin said.

Members of the panel will be a voice for young people in their area, and a strong youth influence and advocate for young people and their issues at community rugby clubs.

Panelists will have the opportunity to learn from sports industry professionals in areas of interest, and enhance their own skills, including leadership, strategic thinking and communication.

The application period runs from 17 September to Tuesday 8 October at 5pm. From that point, regional teams will create shortlists of promising candidates and begin the interview process.

“We hope to be in a position to announce our new panelists by early November and have them in situ by the time the Autumn Nation Series rolls around,” Gavin said.

Anyone wanting to be considered for the panel should fill out the application form. It should take about 25-30 minutes to complete. Head to the Youth Panel webpage on the Scottish Rugby website for more information.