YSAttain: The YSEquity Panel

Since April 2022 we have support a passionate and diverse group of young people to engage on the YSEquity Panel to ensure equitable space for debate and conversation between young people and decision makers, allowing them to influence the Scottish Attainment Challenge programme on key areas including factors that can contribute towards a readiness to learn. The panel has engaged directly with Scottish Government officials and Attainment Challenge partners, ensuring policy developments and evaluation are informed by the lived experience and views of young people. 

Panel members are supported by our dedicated YSHive team who provide a fun, youth-centred and accessible volunteering experience for panel members and YSHive volunteers. YSHive volunteering provides young people with valuable new experiences, skills, friendships and confidence through multiple opportunities to have their say and make change in Scotland. Our experienced Participation team provide youth accessible sessions and events alongside ongoing support, training, networking and next steps support for volunteers.  

Panel engagement in 2024-2025 

During 2024-25 the YSEquity Panel met five times, with a third recruitment round bringing in fresh voices and perspectives. The panel included 19 young people aged 13 to 25 from diverse backgrounds across 12 local authority areas, including young carers, free school meal recipients, those with disabilities and rural residents. 

The panel shared their views on education policies and barriers to attainment, providing feedback on Mobile Phones Guidance, the Improving Attendance report, the National Improvement Framework and contributing to discussions on Cost of the School Day, Pupil Equity Funding and the Attainment Scotland Fund Evaluation. They also engaged with findings from the What I Need to Learn survey, representing broader youth perspectives. 

Panel engagement in 2025-2026 

The panel continues to provide youth insight and experience on key policy areas and decision-making, building on conversations which they have meaningfully contributed to, as well as responding to new and emerging topics, to ensure young people stay at the heart of decisions throughout the Scottish Attainment Challenge programme.    

The panel will engage with the following areas: 

• Readiness to Learn 

• Attainment Scotland Fund Evaluation and delivery method 

• Improving Attendance 

• Support Education Scotland in the development of resources for schools 

• Provide recommendations for future youth engagement on attainment beyond the Scottish Attainment Challenge 

After re-recruitment in June 2025, the panel consists of 25 young people aged 11 to 24 from 16 different Local Authority areas from five ethnicities. Within the panel, members have lived experience of free school meals, living rurally, living in lower SIMD areas, being a young carer, being care experienced and having an additional support need.