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In Scotland we are lucky that there are already many institutions out there which seek to protect us and make our society a fairer and better place to live.

This does not mean that there isn't always room for improvement. It's important institutions are in good communication with those they serve and act with transparency and are accountable to them.

A key purpose of having strong institutions is to give a voice to those in society that can struggle to be heard. One such institutions in Scotland is the . Watch the video to find out more about what it does.

The Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP) gives young people the opportunity to talk about the matters that affect them and to organise to campaign for issues they believe in.

In recent years the SYP has run campaigns about issues such as the introduction of a living wage, and the introduction of measures to address period poverty (free access to sanitary products in schools, universities, and workplaces.)

Scottish peace and justice facts

Activity

• Can you think of some institutions you've recently interacted with?
• What do you think makes an institution successful?
• Do you know any ways you can make your voice heard or ways in which you can be represented in these institutions?