Over the past six months, writing a column for the Greenock Telegraph has been a great experience for which I am incredibly grateful.

I have sought to give the Tele’s readership an insight into a young person’s opinion on the topical issues of the day. I am delighted that moving forward I will be able to do this with the freedom of any other citizen.

This column will be the work of myself as a young citizen of Inverclyde who is active within his community. This column will not be related to any other positions that I may hold.
 
I look forward to speaking freely about the issues that we face in Inverclyde. I will continue to ask tough questions of decision-makers and ensure that they place young people at the heart of policymaking, but I will now do so without the censorship or editorial overreach of any formal organisation of government.

I look forward to being free of any agenda. I will continue to comment on topical local issues but I will now do so without being told what to write by those with an agenda of self-preservation.

I also look forward to writing a fact-based opinion piece. I will continue to raise awareness of decisions that negatively impact the future of Inverclyde’s young people but I will now do so without fear of retribution wrapped in the cloak of ‘protection.’
 
Inverclyde continues to face many issues which me must all work together to tackle. One in four children are living in poverty, and one in five working adults make less than the real living wage. The growth of our population remains stagnant, whilst the number of people leaving the area increases.

Our schools punch above their weight whilst having their hands tied behind their backs, and young people here really believe that The Impossible Dream of this generation is owning a home.
 
As an optimist by nature, I do not take enjoyment from pointing to issues. I believe it is important to find solutions. However, the correct solutions to young people’s problems will not come without listening to young people directly.

For far too long, consultation on youth-based policy in Inverclyde has merely been the presentation of already-decided outcomes to a group of hand-selected young people who have the choice between more of the same or more of the same disguised as change. Real change is organic, it comes from young people themselves.
 
Ronald Reagan stated that: "The most terrifying words in the English language are: I’m from the government and I’m here to help." I won’t make a habit of associating myself with the words of Ronald Reagan on a regular basis, but I believe this quote hits home here in Inverclyde.
 
Young people do not want help or ‘protection’; they want change. The young people I have spoken to recently understand the difference between being consulted and ‘ticking a box’.

If we are to find solutions to the issues we face, consultation must be reformed, and young people’s interests must be at its heart.