A YOUTH parliament member for Irvine and Kilwinning told off adults for not watching their language and ‘targetting’ teenagers with the term ‘youths’.

Cunninghame South’s young man in the Scottish Youth Parliament said adults had to be be careful when describing teenagers and that the term ‘youths’ drives him ‘up the bend as an MSYP’.

This came after discussion of incidents of what the police would describe as ‘youth disorder’ in the Main Street during a meeting of Kilwinning’s community councillors last month.

Members debated which generation was following COVID-19 guidelines more to the letter, after a complaint from the chair that a lot of older people were now staying away from the town after incidents.

Cunninghame South MSYP Aaran McDonald said : “When we’re talking about young people I think we need to watch that we’re not targetting young people with terms such as ‘youths’ – that drives myself up the bend as an MSYP – and I think we need to watch what we’re saying.

He added that: “Young people are a major economic contribution to the town.”

Chair Colin Hedley said: “I appreciate that but at the same time they have social norms to follow as well.

“I know we need to be mindful of language we use but they [young people] have caused concerns.

Vice Chair Jackie Hamilton said: “Its important we don’t use statements like ‘they all’, as in one group when we’re talking about some people.

“I absolutely echo what Aaran said, the word ‘youths’ is just inflammatory, they’re young people and the vast majority have to be commended. Some elderly are struggling, worried, but we have to be very careful.”

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