NEWS RELEASE For Immediate Use 5 November 2009b PERTHSHIRE YOUTH VOLUNTEER LEADS PETITION IN PARLIAMENT 18 year-old Kimby Tosh, from Alyth, who volunteered at the Blairgowrie SCYD through ProjectScotland, has spoken in the Scottish Parliament to try and reverse the funding cuts to volunteer organisation ProjectScotland. In the Petitions Committee, Kimby Tosh spoke to a packed Committee Room to all of the Members of the Petitions Committee. During the hearing of her petition, Mid-Scotland & Fife Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser spoke to give his backing to Kimby’s call to reverse the funding cuts to volunteering. SCYD Blairgowrie Manager Craig Cantwell was also in the Scottish Parliament to give his support to Kimby. Kimby’s full petition reads as follows: “Petition by Kimby Tosh on behalf of Project Scotland calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to demonstrate how it supports national youth volunteering opportunities which deliver skills development for all young people in Scotland and to develop and implement a national youth volunteering policy for Scotland.” So far 1271 people have signed the petition and the Petitions Committee decided to take Kimby’s petition forward. The Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Government, a selection of local authorities (Glasgow, Aberdeen, Stirling), Scotland’s Commissioner for Children and Young People, Youth Scotland, Youthlink Scotland, Scottish Youth Parliament, Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, Scout Association and the Scottish Wildlife Trust seeking responses to the points raised in the petition and during the discussion. This means that the petition will be heard again by the Committee, which will be some time in early 2010. In front of the Committee, Murdo Fraser said the following in support of Kimby: “I have known Kimby Tosh for a number of years and she is an inspiration to youngsters in Blairgowrie and East Perthshire. It is clear that ProjectScotland and the SCYD has made a huge difference to her and turned around her life. “I back Kimby Tosh’s call to urge the Scottish Government to keep youth volunteering high up the political agenda and to develop and implement a national youth volunteering policy for Scotland. The Scottish Government must do more to inspire young people to volunteer and give back to their communities. “ProjectScotland has proven to be an excellent initiative that both inspires young people and gives them practical skills. Most importantly, it makes a difference to both the young people involved in the project and to the organisations who are involved and benefit from the volunteers.” ENDS   back to top of page