As we emerge from lockdown, now, more than ever, it is vital that we capture and listen to the voices of our young people. Through the Young Scottish Talent Programme, MCR supports care-experienced and disadvantaged young people in secondary schools across the country. Despite belonging to a group at high risk from COVID-19 disruption, these talented young people rarely get
the opportunity to have their voices heard.

As the economy and social systems are slowly rebuilding and reopening, we must ensure that our most vulnerable are at the centre of the discussions and decisions. We need to listen to their stories and hear their challenges and concerns. We have so much to learn from them. Only by acting on their feedback, can we ensure their needs are addressed as we work to build back better.

To get to the very core of what matters, we engaged and surveyed more than 1,000 young people from across the country, gaining insight into their experience of lockdown, including: mental wellbeing, home learning, and impact on career plans and future expectations.