TWO young people from North Ayrshire have been elected to the Board of the Scottish Youth Parliament.

MSYPs Nairn McDonald of Kilwinning and Sian Hughes of Irvine became trustees at the AGM in Shetland.

Nairn, 18, is one of the Youth Parliament’s two representatives for Cunninghame South along with Justice Convener Joshua McCormick, 23, also from Kilwinning.

Sian, 20, represents Cunninghame North with 16-year-old Zoe Nix from Irvine.

The Scottish Youth Parliament is the democratically elected voice of Scotland’s young people.

It can have a membership of as many as 200 young people, aged between 14 and 25 years old.

Seven trustees, who have to be at least 16, are elected annually to serve on the Board for a one year term.

The Board controls and governs the administration of the charity, including fundraising, financial matters, employment of staff and ensuring that activities are appropriate and carried out legally and safely.

Trustees meet at least three times a year, in addition to the AGM, at various locations around Scotland.

Nairn and Sian are both members of North Ayrshire Youth Council, a group of six who meet regularly with local councillors and officials to discuss key issues affecting young people.

Nairn was presented with the MSYP of the Year Award at a ceremony in Stirling earlier this year.

The award goes to the individual who, through passion, commitment and determination, has delivered the most impact for the SYP in the last year He said: “It was a great honour and a real shock.

"There are so many great MSYPs in this organisation.” Sian, a third year social work student at Glasgow Caledonian University, was named Young Citizen of the Year in the 2014 Provost’s Civic Pride Awards in North Ayrshire.

She said: “I am extremely proud and honoured to have been elected by our membership at the June sitting held in Shetland.

“For me it means that I communicate well and that people have been able to see how passionate I am about ensuring the voice of young people is heard. That is just such an amazing feeling.

“I have a disability and left school with no Highers.

"The odds were against me. Being on the Board of SYP is a great reward that shows to me that my hard work and determination has paid off.”