Welcome to Moray

All New on Moray Young Scot!

Highlands and Islands Enterprise Survey of Young People

People between 15 and 30 from across the Highlands and Islands and beyond are being urged to have their say in a major online survey launched this week to discover the deciding factors behind living and working in the region.

The organisers Highlands and Islands enterprise are appealing to young people who have opted to stay in the area; those who may return to the area and others who are considering moving to the region, to give their opinion of it as a place to live. Researchers are inviting a big response from young people to find out what they think about education, jobs, quality of life and communication in the region.

Its findings will form part of a comprehensive report by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) into the migration choices of 15 - 30-year-olds and what might be needed to see the numbers of young people choosing to live in the area increase.

To take part in the survey visit: http://www.youthmigration.org/

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Cairngorms National Park Explorer Booklet

There are a number of national parks right across the country, and we're fortunate enough to have one on our doorstep! At the bottom end of Moray the Cairngorm National Park brings Moray together in partnership with Highland, Aberdeenshire and Angus councils in and effort to preserve the area for future generations and help current generations get the most out of it.

So with that in mind, the National Park have put together a booklet filled with information about the local transport system - everything from the bus, trains to cycling and unsurprisingly how to get about by foot. Each of the 72 pages are informative, and if you're planning to head down that way over the summer months, then this booklet will be invaluable to you!

To link to the booklet directly click: http://www.cairngorms.co.uk/resource/docs/publications/CNPA.Paper.614.Cairngorms_Explorer_2008-09.pdf
To visit the Cairngorm National Park homepage click: http://www.cairngorms.co.uk

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The Hack Pack Movie Guide - Here to filter out the movies worth seeing, from the ones to avoid!

Three pairs of cinema tickets can be won! By you!

You can win tickets for you and a friend to see any film you want at the Moray Playhouse Cinema in Elgin! There are three pairs of tickets to give away! All you have to do is write a review of your favourite film or recent DVD or cinema release! Your entries must be at least 500 words long, and our favourites will win the tickets! You can e-mail your entries to daniel.edwards@moray.gov.uk. The closing date is Friday 13th of June, 2008 - luck for some!! (EEK!) So best of luck! All entries will also be published on the movie review pages of Young Scot Moray!

You may want to consider including some of these points - it's up to you!

● What was the title of the movie?
● Who starred in the movie and what other films might we recognise them from?
● Who directed the movie and what other films have they directed?
● What was the plot of the film (without giving it away or spoiling it for others!), and what was the genre (horror, action, comedy, romance etc).
● What were some stand out moments in the film for you, and what was your favourite part?
● What was the acting like?
● How could the film be better? Was it confusing? Was it too fast? Was the story any good?
● What other movies did this film remind you of, and were they better or worse than this film?
● Did the film drag on too long, was it just right, or unexpectedly short?
● Do you think people should wait for this film to come out on DVD, or is it better in the cinema? (You might want to explain why too!)
● And of course, don't forget to sum up what you thought of the film - and don't be afraid to put in your feelings!!

Cloverfield | 27 Dresses | Ballet Shoes | Juno | Breach | Sicko | Stardust | Ratatouille | Evan Almighty | Wild Hogs | The Bourne Ultimatum | Oceans Thirteen | Disturbia | Transformers | The Simpsons Movie | Music & Lyrics | An Inconvenient Truth | Shrek the Third | The Departed | Spiderman 3 | Hot Fuzz | The Holiday (DVD) | Lady in the Water (DVD) | The Break Up (DVD) | Charlotte's Web | Hoodwinked (DVD) | The Pursuit of Happyness | Casino Royale | Deja Vu | Flushed Away

We'd also like to send a big thanks to the Moray Playhouse for letting the Hack Pack group in for £0.00 to review these films! It's very generous of them, and has been an absolute joy! Don't forget to visit their site for the latest showings, and of course special offers for Access Moray card holders!

Moray Playhouse - Week beginning Friday 6th June

Sex And The City: Fri 1.20 4.50 8.00, Sat/Sun 4.50 8.00, Mon-Thu 1.20 4.50 8.00, Rated 15
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull: Daily 1.00 4.30 7.40 12A
Iron Man: Sat/Sun 1.20, Rated 12A

Click here to visit the Moray Playhouse website: http://www.caledoniancinemas.co.uk/

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Discount Me In!!

The discounts secured for your Young Scot Card in Moray have been categorised neatly in the Money Savers page on the top right menu! All you have to do is pick from Elgin, Buckie, Keith, Fochabers, Speyside, Forres or Lossiemouth to see what's on offer in Moray from your local businesses! 

The Discount Team has finished it's 2007/2008 tour after having successfully acquired loads more discounts, however if you're aged 12 to 26 and fancy getting involved in the future then contact Tracy Robbie on 01340 871 641. If you prefer to text, text us your name, age, and address to: 07781 484 336. Please remember to start your text with "discount team". It's a fun way to meet new friends from all over Moray, and see places you've maybe never seen before!

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What's happening in Moray! Updated 19th May 2008

The What's Happening in Moray section is a quick and easy way to see what's going on locally and find out a bit more about various projects across the area. Young Scot Moray would like to invite local groups to contact us with their success stories! Has someone won an award? Have you got a new group starting up you would like to tell people about?! Is there a gig or event that you want to promote? If the answer is yes, then keep reading!

Feel free to contact daniel.edwards@moray.gov.uk with your stories, and don't forget to include your contact details if you want to share them with the world. The Young Scot Moray site is here to celebrate your successes... so by all means don't hesitate to get in touch!

 

The Arts Development team in Moray are currently in the process of putting together the Moray Youth Music Forum in response to work that the Scottish Arts Council is doing. If you are in a youth music group, in a band, a budding DJ, a Ceilidh band, school choir, or anything like that at all… and you fancy shaping the way that youth music in Moray is represented then get in touch with Nick Fearne on (01343) 557148. This exciting project will hope to look at the gaps that there are in supporting young people in making and delivering music to the masses, so speak up now!

A tad unrelated to Moray, but a hop and a skip over the border to Aberdeenshire will tell you that the Banffshire Coast Festival is underway this weekend with Sandi Thom returning to her home town to open the festival at Banff Castle on Friday 23rd May wishing she was a punk rocker most likely. On top of that, the celebrity fest continues with Majorcan dance act DJ Sammy playing at the Seafield Nightclub in Banff performing his string of hits including "Heaven", "Boys of Summer", and the Annie Lennox cover "Why". Tickets are available from Eastside Shopping Centre and Costcutter stores in Banff and Macduff.

 

 

The Elgin Youth Forum is currently meeting every Tuesday in the Elgin Community Centre from 6PM to 7 PM - new members always welcome. 
 
DJ Workshops are taking place every Thursday from 7.30 PM in Elgin Community Centre. The group has recently raised funds for brand new DJ equipment - all young people interested will be made to feel very welcome.

 

The Femme Fatale ladies at Milnes High are in the process of wrapping up their company! Take a look at the latest news here at http://www.youngscot.org/features/?ss=234&s=17&sr=424&ID=21968 and also check out the link to their new website!

A youth drop-in is operating at the Lhanbryde Community Centre every Wednesday and Friday evening from 7.00 PM to 9.30 PM. Youth Work staff are keen to have more young people come along to hang out, relax... or even take part in various activities from mountain biking to DJ'ing. If this sounds like your cup of tea, then by all means please do come along!

 

News from Keith is currently a bit thin on the ground!

 

AMP (aka Another Music Project) in Buckie has been working with two bands: Kill the Wolf, who have recorded their first album, and Secret Crowd who have recorded their first EP! For more info visit www.bebo.com/anothermusicproject

The Buckie Skate Park will finally be open in the summer of this year, and on Saturday 21st June the official launch of the skatepark will mark six years of hard work by the young skating community of the town! More details to follow... but forewarned is is forearmed - this promises to be big, so don't miss it! www.buckieskatepark.org

A film project involving older men and young people is planned for a Dufftown group of older men. They have been meeting at the gym at Stephen hospital and the idea for the film project was suggested which would give young and old people the chance to get together and make a film about being a teenager.

Local film maker Graeme Roger has been asked to work with the group and filming will take place over the next few weeks during evenings and weekends. A premiere showing of the film is planned to take place at Glenfiddich Distillery on 1st July. Five young people aged 15 years plus are wanted to take part.
 
The initial meeting of the project is Monday 28th April from 7pm at Dufftown Community Centre. Any interested young people are welcome to come along to find out more about how they can be involved in making the film.

 

Forres Freeriders Mountain Biking Group are preparing an Awards For All grant bid towards the costs of a £58,000 trail planned in Forres. The group are working in Partnership with Forres Community Woodland Trust who will be bidding for funding for the major costs of the trail. The Freeriders group are applying for funding towards costs for the more extreme part of the trail, which will combine family, beginner and advanced trails. The group and the Woodland Trust have recruited Cycletherapy to design and build the trail. It is hoped to secure funding by summer 2008 and to open the trail this year.

A new Outdoor Activity group is starting for young people in the Pilmuir area of Forres. Starting on Wednesday April 16th and running for six weeks with some occasional Saturday's sessions being organised. Outfit Moray and the Moray Council Community Development Youth team staff are behind the programme. The first meeting will be held in Pilmuir Community House on Wednesday 2nd April at 7 PM for anyone interested in taking part.

 

Wildbird theatre production company are looking for fifteen highly motivated and committed young actors and six aspiring technicians aged 12 to 17 to join the Youth Cast team. This new initiative is part of the companies' commitment to developing exciting and contemporary theatre in the community and feeds into their professional productions. Anyone interested in being on stage or working behind the scenes to develop a production called "The Fall of the Peacock Throne" should contact the Warehouse Theatre for an application pack by visiting www.thewarehousetheatre.co.uk or calling 01343 814004.

The Lossie Youth Cafe, at the back of the Town Hall in Lossiemouth has been open for business for quite some time, however, if you haven't checked out their Bebo page yet then maybe you should!! They have a full programme of what's going on at the cafe, as well as opening times... so if you're looking for a fun place to hang out with your friends in a safe, warm and dry environment, where you can munch all the food your purse of wallet can afford then check out the... Lossie Youth Cafe Bebo Page

The L@b - The Home of Hack Pack Stories

Random Ranting in the L@b!

You could be forgiven for thinking that the Hack Pack are a bunch of whining, complaining collection of moans... however... Random Ranting is about more than that! It's about real issues that affect young people and we want to know is - do you maybe feel the same?! Some rants are a bit silly, others are very topical, and are related to stories in the news...  perhaps about how the government is imposing Acts and Laws, and what the Hack Pack think about it all!

Games Consoles in Girly Pink? | Mon the Munchies | Have you been "Tagged?" | Warm drinking water! | Wet socks! | Let's Hate Fish | For and against text slang!

Visit the L@b to read up on all this stuff! If you want to vent your frustration about any of the rants, then head along to the Rant 'n' Rave discussion boards to voice your opinion too!

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Welcome to the Hack Pack Gig & Music Guide!

The Hack Pack Team have attended various gigs locally and nationally to keep you informed on the kind of music they happen to be interested in! And not just that, their CD collection comes under scrutiny with some open and honest reviews! Head to "The L@b" to read up on what's being said!

Want to know how Foo Fighters got on at Meadowbank Stadium in Edinburgh playing to a crowd of 20,000 at the Fringe Festival! Maybe you want to know a bit more about Kings of Leons new album? Take a good rake because there's plenty in there for all you people!

As usual, get in contact with Daniel to find out how to get involved! Click Here for the Gig and Music Guide

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The Moray Hack Pack - WE'RE LOOKING FOR NEW RECRUITS!!

Our current Hack Pack journalists are:

Keith: Ami, Darren, Hannah
Buckie: new recruits needed!!
Milnes: new recruits needed!!
Lhanbryde: Chris, Sarah
Lossiemouth: Emily
Forres: Peter, Hannah, Kirsty, Bethanie, Holly
Elgin: Mark, Cameron, Katie
Speyside: new recruits needed!!

What's going on where you live?! Find out here! Want to have a Hack Pack journalist come and interview you about something going on where you live? Get in touch with Daniel Edwards by e-mailing daniel.edwards@moray.gov.uk and we can get something put on the Moray pages!

Do you want to be part of the Hack Pack?

It's a fact of life that people move on, and a good chunk of the Hack Pack membership moved on this summer to college and university all over Scotland. We wish them well in their chosen subjects of study! However, this has left us with a gaping void to fill!

If you are interested in writing short stories, reviews about gigs, movies, or CD's, generally love writing random banter, or perhaps even writing endless moans about what really gets on your nerves... then the Hack Pack could be the place for you. The group currently does an amazing job of putting fingers to keyboard and telling it like it is... for proof of this visit The L@b and our Features section for a look!

You can also download a copy of the Moray Hack Pack Manual in PDF format so you can see what you're getting into! Click here to download the Hack Pack Manual

Our next meetings will be held on...

Wednesday, June 4th, Elgin Community Centre. 4.30 PM to 6.30 PM!
Tuesday, June 17th, Elgin Library. 4.30 PM to 6.30 PM!

All meetings are 4 PM to 6.30 PM (give or take five minutes for roadworks and traffic as everyone decends on Elgin!!) We meet to plan and discuss what we're doing next at Elgin Community Centre, and pile onto the computers for Internet access at Elgin Library. You know it makes sense. Get in touch with daniel.edwards@moray.gov.uk for more info! And of course, don't worry about travel costs... we can make arrangements so that you can always be reimbursed for taking part in activities!

Your Voice in Moray!

The Moray Youth Council

Future Plans for the Moray Council and How They Affect You!

At the Moray Youth Council meeting on Monday 28th April, 2008, the young people in attendance were told about the Concordat (an agreement between the Moray Council, Community Planning partners). The Concordat lists a number of priorities for the Moray Council and these are being produced in a document called the Single Outcome Agreement, and how these priorities will be met for the Scottish Government to look over.

The final version of the SOA has not yet been agreed, so there is still a little bit of time to have your say on what is in there before it goes to the Scottish Government. If you want to find out more about the main priorities affecting young people then visit the link at the bottom of this article. Do you think these are the most important priorities? If not, or you think there is something missing, then please tell us what you think is more important.

http://www.youngscot.org/features/?ss=888&s=17&sr=424&ID=23807

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The Moray School Council Conference 2007 - What your school council can do for you!

On Tuesday 27th November, representatives from every high school in Moray descended on Elgin Town Hall to represent their school and their school council. The day was an oppotunity to look at some of the positive things that school councils have achieved and share ideas with other school council. It was also an oppotunity to look at wasn't so hot, and what needed to be improved so that all the pupils in a school get the chance to voice their opinion.

Coming soon, to a Young Scot Moray near you will be the written report, so keep your eyes pealed! For all the sixty or so delegates that attended the event, we would like to extend our thanks for making it a very positive day indeed! If you were there, then leave us a comment on bebo! www.bebo.com/youngscotmoray

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Become a Friend of the Young Scot Moray Bebo Page!

Yes, it was bound to happen sooner or later, but we have a Bebo page here at Young Scot Moray. I guess it was only a matter of time. The reason we have a Bebo page is not because we're giving up our Moray website here, but to direct your friends and family here to Young Scot Moray so they can see what they're missing! Bebo is a great tool, and has attracted massive audiences across the world, and Scotland is no exception!

So feel free to leave us a comment, become our friend, share some "luv" with us, and spread the word that Young Scot Moray exists!  Chances are we may even have some quizzes in the future! Who knows?!

Please also be aware that all comments are moderated... we will not allow bad, abusive or nasty posts, so keep the friendly talk coming our way, as we simply want everyone to know what Young Scot Moray can do for YOU!!

http://youngscotmoray.bebo.com - if you're a young person aged 12 to 25... we'll add you! Adults need not apply!

You can also become friends of the national Young Scot Bebo and MySpace by visiting... http://www.myspace.com/youngscotmyspace and http://youngscotbebo.bebo.com

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The results of the Scottish Youth Parliament Elections for Moray in 2007!

The 2007 Scottish Youth Parliament Elections in Moray were an exciting roller coaster ride for candidates Becca from Elgin, Kyle from Forres, Andrew from Lossiemouth, Chris from Speyside and Anja from Buckie! Five contendars and two posts meant this was an interesting election!

In west Moray voting went as follows...
1st - Becca Campbell
2nd - Kyle Worgan
3rd - Andrew Duthes

Making Becca Campbell the new SYP representative for Elgin, Lossie and Forres areas until April 2009!

In east Moray voting went as follows...
1st - Chris Blakesley
2nd - Anja Leaman

Making Chris Blakesley the new SYP representative for Speyside, Keith, Buckie and Milnes areas until April 2009!

Getting in touch with the MSYP's!

Over the coming years MSYP's will be visiting all youth forums, all pupil councils and practically every youth group in Moray to gauge your views and opinions on the issues that matter to young people in their communities. Your voice will be carried forward to the Moray Youth Council and Scottish Youth Parliament and Becca and Chris are here to make that happen!

Want to see what the Northern Scot had to say about the elections? Read this... Northern Scot Story 1  And hold onto your hats for when the Hack Pack interview Becca and Chris very soon! And if you want to read up about Becca and Chris now they're our SYP heroes... read here... Northern Scot Story 2

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Sports Development Team Survey

The Sports Development Team in Moray Council are keen to find out what  kind of sporting and keep fit activities you take part in, and what kind of facilities there are available so you can keep active. Take some time to complete the questionairre (on this page here... link to questionairre!), and your contribution could go a long way in helping us to provide a better service and range of activities for you!

Although there is a chill in the air at the moment, summer is just a stones throw away so the feedback you put into the questionairre will influence the Sports Developments Teams summer programme! So get in there and have your say!

For more information about the sports development programme in Moray, click here: SDP in Moray!

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Virtual Youth Forums Now Up and Running!

If you want to be able to speak up, from the comfort of your own desktop PC or laptop then you're only a few clicks away! Simply click on "Rant 'n' Rave" in the Moray sections to be able to join in the discussion! There are Virtual Youth Forums for every key town in Moray including Keith, Buckie, Fochabers, Aberlour, Elgin, Lossiemouth, and Forres!

To get access all you have to do is register your Access Moray card on this website, register a username and a password, and before you know it you can join in the disscussions and debates that take place. There is also room for a little bit of banter, but please - behave yourselves!

These virtual youth forums are here to compliment the youth forums in the real world, and if you would like to find out more about your local youth forum, then look up the what's on pages to find out times, dates and venues!

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“What on earth is a youth forum? And why should I be interested?” –

Your guide to Youth Forums in Moray!

If you’ve been living in a cave for the past six months, or you simply just let the world around you pass you by then you might be wondering what a youth forum is all about. Even if you have heard of a youth forum, chances are you’re still none the wiser! This is a simple guide to what a youth forum is all about, how getting involved could make a big difference to where you live, and how it could make a big difference to your life! And remember, you can’t spell ‘youth’, without spelling ‘you’!

Take a look in the features pages to find out more, and check out the "What's On" section for the next time your youth forum meets!

The Latest on Dialogue Youth in Moray!

Young Scot WOW!! Get Your Group or Organisation to Complete the Form!

Young Scot in Edinburgh is working on a new online database called “Young Scot WOW ”. The name is a work in progress, as is the web address; however… this database will contain a large amount of what’s on information for the whole of Scotland. Here at Moray Dialogue Youth we’re really keen to take part and see the project become a huge success.

The opening page will be presented in a similar format as Google with a search field, and results will appear in order of relevance, or can be viewed on a map. With the map visitors can zoom right into street level to find out where a particular opportunity or event is being held.

If you are part of a group, a group leader, or know of a group that would benefit from being included on the Young Scot WOW database, contact Daniel Edwards for an application form. Applications are quick and easy to complete and to obtain one E-mail daniel.edwards@moray.gov.uk, or download the PDF here!

Access Moray Smartcards

All New Discount Folding Cards - Have You Got Yours Yet?!

It's been a while since these have been distributed to Buckie High, Elgin Academy, Elgin High, Forres Academy, Keith Grammar, Lossie High, Milnes High, and Speyside High! If you haven't received one of these then ask your registration or guidance teacher! These cards fold into four, down to a credit card size to be kept neatly in your wallet or purse! The cards have a complete list of all the discounts available in Moray and beyond, and are small enough for reference when you're out shopping for bargains!!

If you no longer go to school then you can still pick up a card by e-mailing daniel.edwards@moray.gov.uk and include your name, address and postcode so we can mail one of the new cards out to you!

Remember, to be able to access the discounts you must have one of the Access Moray, Young Scot, National Entitlement Cards. Quite a mouthful, but they have so many different names! And as always, if you have any suggestions for shops and stores where we can approach businesses for discounts we'll be pleased to try!

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National Entitlement Card Section - Active Now!!

The National Entitlement Card Section on the Moray pages (you'll find it titled "Smartcard" on the right hand menu), has been added to the site, and in here you'll find all the latest news on the progress of the NEC, where to get them, how to get them, and what you have to do.

This new section has information about the discount travel that is available to card holders, and why you should get one now! The card holds all the existing features of your current Access Moray card, including the cashless catering at your school, discounts within your local and national shops, and so much more!

You're only a click away from finding out all you need to know! Click Here for Smartcards

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Register Your Access Moray Card on www.youngscot.org

Once you have your shiny new Access Moray card, you can use it to your benefit for cashless catering at school! But don't forget, you can use it for a whole lot more! You can receive e-mail and text updates from Young Scot, and get access to lots of extra parts of the site, and participate in surveys and votes that you couldn't before!

Not only that, but you will be the first to receive information about the latest discounters, and be the first to get money off on your purchases the next time you're shopping anywhere across Scotland! The "Euro<26" logo on the card also entitles you to all kinds of discounts and privileges across across Europe. This can be paticularly handy if you're going on holiday, or back packing and require cheap transport or accomodation. Take a look on the main Young Scot page for more information.

Meanwhile, to register... simply click "Register Now" at the top of the page! It's easy, it's quick, and well worth the hassle! And once you've registered, simply log in where it asks for your username and password! And please don't forget to give us your e-mail address or your personal mobile phone number! Click Here to Register Your Card

Features - A look at being young in Moray!

Moray Core Paths Plan

Do you run, walk, bike, horse ride, go off road to get to friends? Well commenting on the Core Paths Plan could be just for you. So what is a Core Path? It’s the main non road route linking communities and places of interest.
 
A Core Path Plan has been produced and your views are being sought on whether the plan has got it right. Is there enough core paths in your area and in your view are they in the right place?
 
Have a look at the plan on www.moray.gov.uk/corepaths and go to the map pages. The core paths are marked in purple and cover most of Moray apart from that bit that is in the National Park (they will have their own plan).

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New Young Scot Books for all new 1st or 4th years! You're in for a little suprise when you go back to school...

The Moray Young Scot books will have been handed out to all first years and fourth years at all of Morays eight high schools by now - however, if you're one of the few that still has to get a book speak to your registration teacher.

These books are your handbook to life, and will guide you through all kinds of issues that you need to know about such as animals, arts, boys, careers, education, the environment, Europe, girls, having your say, keeping safe, the law, money, relationships, sport, things do to, work, feeling good, and the world around  you! Not to mention of course... stacks of discounts you can get with your Access Moray / NEC card.

What if you don't get a book?! Sometimes it happens! Sometimes teachers can be forgetful, or sometimes the books end up in the back of a cupboard where they might not be discovered until the summer clear out of 2017... by which time they're not much use to you! If by the end of September 2007 you haven't received your book... start asking your guidance teacher questions! It's your book, it's free and it's perhaps the most important handbook you're likely to have (unless of course you're programming the timer on your video recorder - then it's not much use). Feel free to get in contact with Daniel Edwards (contact details at the bottom of the page), if you have any problems.

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Reduce, Re-use, and Recycle!

It's everyones responsibility to look after the planet, and without sounding too preachy, here's are some websites that can help you start to make a difference, learn more about recycling and lowering your carbon emissions, and what's involved to prevent ourselves from ultimately ruining the earth! Remember, you can make a difference, and together, we can make a big difference!

Recycling!

Freecycle is a place where you can give away what you don't want to a good home, instead of it ending up in a landfill!
http://uk.freecycle.org/

A thorough guide on how, where and what you can recyle!
http://www.recycling-guide.org.uk/

Find out more about how to recycle, and learn about the Eco Youth Parliament!
http://www.recycle-more.co.uk/

Learn all about recycling laws and legislation, and recycling from a business angle!
http://www.letsrecycle.com/

Lowering Your Carbon Emissions!

Learn of ways to save energy in the home, at school and at work!
http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/

Make a commitment, and pledge to reduce your power useage by 20%
http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/commit

What's good energy, and how to create your own carbon neutral power!
http://www.good-energy.co.uk/

Products and advice to combat climate change!
http://www.whatyoucando.co.uk/

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United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Explained)

I know what you're thinking... "Huh?! The United what now? Back up? Can you say that again?!" It's fairly simple, although at the same time... perhaps not so simple! Young people of all ages have human rights, which I'm sure sounds familiar and comes as no suprise to you. However, it's maybe fair to say that you don't know much about them - perhaps even nothing!

The Scottish Government has produced a booklet for young people like you explaining what it is the United Nations, the UK Government, the Scottish Government and even what the Moray Council is doing to ensure that your rights as a young person are considered when making laws relating to young people, doing research about yougn people, and listening to the views of young people.

The document is very easy to read, and unlike most reports you won't need a dictionary or a thesaurus to make sense of it! Copies should be distributed to every school and library across the country - however, if you haven't seen one you can click on the link below to access it in Adobe PDF format. If you get in touch with your school (or even the Scottish Government directly by writing to The Scottish Government, St Andrew's House, Edinburgh, EH1 3DG) they'll be sure to seek you out a copy.

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/216011/0057744.pdf

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Moray Community Planning Partnership - It's Everyones Business!

Ever heard of community planning before? If not, then here is the short version, the people in your community... (i.e... you, your friends, family, neighbours), take responsibility for shaping and planning how your community works (i.e... in a discussion forum... or a meeting of some kind). By now you're probably thinking it sounds simpler than the title, and if so you'd be right.

Your first step in seeing what community planning is in Moray and how you can be a part of it is simple... click on this link... www.yourmoray.org.uk - because after all, it is Your Moray, and it's the community's responsibility to look after it! The site has a wealth of information, so instead of me trying to explain it, go find out for yourself!

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Web Safety and Chatting Online - Remember! Be safe!

It has came to the attention of a few youth workers in Moray that a lot of young people are taking some risky behaviour when they're online, paticularly with online messaging systems such as MSN. If you have someone add you to your contact list who is a complete stranger, we suggest you block and delete them immediately.

The Internet is a wonderful thing, and MSN and other chat software can certainly save you money from texting. Sure, it keeps you amused on those boring evenings and weekends too, no denying that! But, it's also used by a small minority of people with a slightly strange behaviour about them to target young people in unpleasant ways.

This counts for other fun ways of communicating with your friends online too, such as MySpace, Bebo, and Friends Reunited! These sites are great fun once you've added pictures, applied skins to get your page looking great, but please take precautions! If you have any concerns or questions, then please tell a parent, teacher, or youth worker and ask them for advice.

Real things that have happened in Scotland and have been in the news!

How many of you have seen these things happen to people you know? These are just some of the things that have happened to young people in Scotland and have been reported on the news. Yes, Scotland is a big place, but it's not that big - and the people these things have happened to, are YOUR age!!

Do not... put your e-mail address or your mobile phone number as your display name, or personal message! Yes, you've bought a new phone and you want to let everyone know without texting everyone in your address book! It's cheaper! But think about it... anyone can see your phone number, and text you anonymously. They might even decide to give you prank calls, and it's not easy stopping that kind of thing. Get a free text package deal with your pay-as-you-go phone provider and text everyone your new number!

Do not... give away details of where you live. Ok, so you live in Keith... that much information is probably safe enough to give away. But don't put your home address or postcode online! With a postcode and a house number... a Satellite Navigation device could take a complete stranger to your front door if they see a photo of you they like on Bebo. Like the one on the Tom Tom TV adverts! Sound scary? It should! It's unlikely to happen - but it CAN happen!!

Do not... put pictures of yourself in comprimising positions or doing anything you'll later regret. Ok, so you and your friends got a bit carried away whilst you were out in Elgin at the weekend, but was it such a good idea to let your friends take photo's of you? Whilst you were doing that?! With him?! Anyone could print those pictures off and put them all over school causing you a lot of embarassment - or worse!

What we're suggesting is think about it! Keep yourself safe and have fun online sensibly, that's all we want. Don't let yourself fall victim to bad people or practical jokes just because you thought no harm could come from it. Bad things do happen, and being naive or claiming "I didn't know that would happen", shouldn't be an excuse! Think about the risks!

Remember - you must be 14 to use Bebo, and 15 to use MySpace. Both sites will delete your profile if you are using these sites under-aged.

For more information on how to be safe online visit the Young Scot Web Safety page - http://www.youngscot.org/websafety/

More about the Moray Pages

New to the Moray pages? What does it all mean?!

Information (on the left hand side) is all the up to date information that you can already find in your Young Scot Download Life book. As you’ll see this has information about Animals, Arts, Benefits, Education… it’s all fairly self-explanatory. If you need help with anything this is the best place to look!

Moray Sections is the area where you’ll find everything that’s going on in Moray. This information is kept up to date by the Dialogue Youth staff in Moray (namely Daniel), and the Hack Pack Team

News is full of the latest news information that is relevant and interesting to you. This is put together by the Young Scot staff in Edinburgh for the most part, but if we pick up on anything in Moray we add it here.

Competitions are competitions that are being held by us in Moray. When we have prizes (which is rarely I must add!), we’ll throw them onto the website, so check back from time to time. If there is a competition, you can rest assured we’ll probably make a big deal about it!

What’s On is about things that are going on in Moray. We try our hardest to keep this as up to date as possible, and interesting to you of course!

Rant ‘n’ Rave is the virtual youth forums we tend to go be quite proud of. They are discussion boards, but before you can use them you must register you Access Moray card. Once you’ve registered, you can enter your username and password to gain entry and leave your thoughts and opinions.

The L@b is where the Hack Pack team leave their mark for the most part! Stories and articles of interest written by them are stashed away in here. Once you head inside you’ll see a number of different sub-sections including music reviews, cinema reviews, so take some time to explore. 

Money Savers contains all the latest info on discounts available in Moray with your Access Moray card. If you live outside of Moray, but are visiting, then you can use your Young Scot card to access these discounts too.

Surveys are a handy way for us to get feedback on what you think of the website, your Access Moray cards, and try and make the services Dialogue Youth provide you in Moray much more useful.

Features are stories written by both the Dialogue Youth team in Moray, and the Hack Pack related to what’s going on in Moray to make your world a better place. So get in there and find out!

Smartcards has all the latest info on the National Entitlement Card, which is the updated version of the Access Moray Cards for 16 to 18 year olds. The updated card has all the features of the Access Moray Card, but with the added benefit of national transport concessions and discounts.

Helpful contacts, again, I doubt this needs explaining. This wee corner of the website will help point you in the right direction in your hour of need. If you’re in trouble in Tomintoul, busted in Buckie, or lost in Lossie, then there’s every chance you’ll find what you need. For all the Dialogue Youth and Community Learning staff, you'll find their contact details at the bottom of this page!

Contact Us!

Are you a Teacher, Youth Worker, or Community Worker looking for inspiration?

The young people you work with in Moray all have a Young Scot book, and these books can be used as part of a PSE lesson relating to citizenship. Whether your pupils can find them or not is a different question, as there are often many stories of them being lost! But these books can be equally as valuable in a Youth Work setting to inspire young people and prompt discussion and debate around citizenship and their place in the community.

Young Scot no longer produce hand books for teachers, however, there are a number of downloadable hand-outs in PDF format on the corporate version of the Young Scot website including:

¤ every section from both the 'Megabyte' and 'Gigabyte' books
¤ activity ideas and discussion starters
¤ quizzes
¤ answer sheets.

If you intend to use the books as part of a citizenship programme, it may be worth while asking your pupils to leave their books at school for a few months. This way you can get the best out of the books without having to listen to excuses of them being forgotten!

For more information head to the Young Scot corporate site
And to download the Tutor Resource Pack Click Here

If you're a young person in Moray, or know a young person in Moray without a Young Scot book, then please e-mail us. However, do check with your school to find out if books are yet to be distributed to your class. If you don't attend school but are still aged 12 to 18 you will be eligible for a Young Scot book and pack.

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Want to get in contact with us or your local youth worker?

Your first port of call should be: dialogue.youth@moray.gov.uk

If you have anything you would like to have posted on this site, have a question about your Young Scot card, or want to get involved then that's the address to send your queries to! We will do our best to get back to you as quickly as possible with answers to your questions. You may occasionally find staff are on holiday or leave, but there are more addresses below that you can give a try if your query is urgent.

Not just that but you will find a list of all the youth work staff across Moray. Most of these staff work within schools, local youth clubs, drop-ins, youth forums and even trawl the streets doing detached youth work. Not all contacts have an e-mail address or direct telephone number, but if you wish to get in contact each area youth work manager will be more than happy to pass on a message. 

Dialogue Youth Staff
Dialogue Youth Worker (Portal, Hack Pack, Publicity & Promotion, Youth Council) daniel.edwards@moray.gov.uk (01343) 563 319
DialogueYouth Worker (Scottish Youth Parliament, Discount Team) - tracy.robbie@moray.gov.uk (01340) 871 641

Community Planning Team
Community Planning & Development Manager john.ferguson@moray.gov.uk (01343) 563 404
Community Planning Officer roy.anderson@moray.gov.uk (01343) 563 343

Community Learning and Development Youth Team Managers
Youth Team Leader karen.delaney@moray.gov.uk (01343) 563 602
CLD Worker (Buckie and Keith) fiona.herd@moray.gov.uk (07771) 980 639
CLD Worker (Milnes and Lossiemouth) david.millar@moray.gov.uk (07800) 670 693
CLD Worker (Forres and Speyside) robin.weeden@moray.gov.uk (01343) 559 973
CLD Worker (Elgin) - amy.cheer@moray.gov.uk (01343) 559 974

Buckie Youth Work Team
Senior Youth Worker: Barbara Leitch
Youth Worker: James Swanson
Youth Worker: Daniel Edwards (01343) 829 026
Youth Worker: Sharon Duncan
Youth Assistant: Diane Campbell

Keith Youth Work Team
Senior Youth Worker: Barbara Leitch
Youth Worker: Sharon Duncan
Youth Worker: Shona Goodall
Youth Assistant: David Ingram

Milnes Youth Work Team
Senior Youth Worker: TBC
Youth Worker: Daniel Edwards (01343) 829 026.
Youth Assistant: Graham
Youth Assistant: Patsy

Elgin Youth Work Team
Senior Youth Worker: Wendy Toner
Youth Literacies Worker (Elgin): Rosie Millett
Duke of Edinburgh Award Development Officer: Gavin Morgan
Youth Worker: Joan Russell
Youth Worker: Graham Payne

Forres Youth Work Team
Senior Youth Worker: Nicky Stewart
Youth Worker: TBC
Youth Worker: TBC
Youth Assistant: TBC

Lossiemouth Youth Work Team
Senior Youth Worker: TBC
Youth Worker: Sharon Manson
Youth Worker: John Todd

Speyside Youth Work Team
Senior Youth Worker: TBC
Youth Worker: Nicki Smith
Youth Worker: Raymond Asher

We look forward to hearing from you!