‘WITH only 154 days until the Referendum on Scottish Independence I wanted to use my column this week to highlight the importance of registering to vote.

Even if you don’t know how you’re going to vote in the Referendum it doesn’t matter. If you are not registered then you won’t be able to vote – even if you want to! You may think you don’t want to vote now, but if an issue comes up that you want to have your say on, if you’re on the register you’ll have the chance to vote on it.

In order to take part in the Referendum you will need to be registered to vote. You are not automatically registered. Your application to register to vote at the Scottish Independence Referendum must have been received by your electoral registration officer by midnight on Wednesday 3rd September. Anyone who is aged 16 or 17 on 18th September will be able to vote in the Referendum, so every house is also being sent a ‘young voters’ form to register their details. People completing the registration forms are being urged to make sure the details of any young person in their household who will be 16 by 18th September 2014 are included. You can also visit the following website: www.aboutmyvote.co.uk and follow the links to register.

My job within the Scottish Youth Parliament is all about getting young people engaged with politics, and at the Parliament we know that young people are interested and want to influence the decisions that affect their future. That is why I urge all young voters to get to know the arguments for the Yes campaign and the Better Together campaign and use your vote on September 18th. There is lots of information about, whether it’s on the TV, in the paper or online – the result of the Referendum will impact directly on you. So use your vote – don’t lose it!

I have also been quite busy in the constituency since last time. I have attended a sitting of the Scottish Youth Parliament in Stirling; I have also attended the opening of the Music Hoose, at Bowhill Centre, in Cardenden, as well as Youth Forum meetings and organising times to hold surgeries within the local High Schools. I have also been busy gathering support for the Scottish Youth Parliament national campaign ‘Care. Fair. Share’, in a bid to to urge the Scottish Government to ease the financial strain facing young carers.

The campaign seeks to ensure that carers are treated fairly by society and Government policies, and that their caring situations should not prevent them from further education and engaging in social activities. Several avenues will be pursued to alleviate the financial difficulties faced by many young carers, including, “addressing anomalies in the administration of the Educational Maintenance Allowance that result in many young carers losing their EMA entitlement; additional funding and bursary opportunities for young carers struggling to afford further education due to their caring responsibilities; and, avenues to alleviate the cost of travel for young carers between school, work, and home to fulfil their caring and educational responsibilities. For more information check out the website – www.syp.org.uk’