YOUNG people have many more pressures than previous generations, MSP Rona Mackay has said.
The MSP spoke about these pressures at the Celebrating Our Future: The Year of Young People debate on December 12.
She highlighted challenges facing young people today, such as new pressures to conform to materialism and social media.
An environmental factor was linked in, with Ms Mackay insisting Scots must protect the environment to allow young people to grow up as healthy as possible.
School pupils and students from Strathkelvin and Bearsden were praised as “well-mannered and exceptionally knowledgeable” by the MSP.
She said: “In my speech, I said there are many ways that children are facing greater challenges than those of former generations.
“Social media, an ever-materialist world and children being targeted by terrorists are just some of the new pressures facing children today.
“It is crucial that we focus on ensuring we have strong mental health services and support mechanisms for our young people.
“We must also ensure we are constantly building a society where children can prosper, by protecting our health services, security and environment.
“Scotland’s year of young people is a celebration of all the amazing contributions that our young people make to society.
“It must create a legacy whereby young people are listened to and, in effect, every year becomes the year of the young person.”
ENDS