Young Scot Magazine Issue 1

Cyber Special

Meet young gamer Billie!

How do I use my card?

Our promise to you

Everyone in the world has human rights, including you. And everyone under 18 has a human rights law that’s just for them. It’s called the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, or UNCRC. These rights are at the heart of everything we do! Here’s our promise to you:

To inspire you, empower you and make you feel your best

Inspire you: we’ll deliver interesting articles, uplifting stories and features packed full of ideas for you to have fun and make the most of life.

Your perspective: the information we share will address issues from your point of view, to make sure we give a voice to the experiences of young people.

Empower you: we’ll highlight opportunities for activities you can take part in that ignite your interests.

Diversity, equity and inclusion: we’ll celebrate diversity and inclusion and promote equity to ensure we represent different backgrounds, cultures and identities.

To tell the truth and stand up for your rights

To include you and listen to you

Collaborators

YS Magazine

Published by: Young Scot

Caledonian Exchange

19A

Express yourself: YS Magazine is a place where you can share your ideas, contribute your stories and be creative!

Email: info@young.scot

Editorial enquires: magazine@young.scot

Editor: Fiona Pringle

Contributors: Gillian Scott, Reid Aiton, Lenka Murova

Printed: Hugh Clarkson

To never digitally alter someone’s appearance

To ensure showcased products are appropriate and relevant

Our Stars

Every year we help to tell the amazing stories of young people in Scotland and the brilliant work they do to improve their local communities and the lives of others. Parents, teachers, friends, carers and people in the community nominate young people who have made a difference across lots of different subjects, from the environment to entertainment.

Meet some of the stars of the Sunday Mail Young Scot Awards 2023!

Cameron

Cameron Peter Lyon Coupar won the equality and diversity award for raising awareness of both dyslexia and stammering. Cameron, who is a keen drummer and is learning to play the chanter, doesn’t let having both a stammer and dyslexia get in his way.

Who inspires you?

Meryl Williams, who took part in the BBC’s hit reality series The Traitors, was nominated for the entertainment award. Meryl was the first person with dwarfism to win a reality game show and is now working to continue to break boundaries and stigma around disabilities.

What creative things do you like to do?

“It was brilliant to even be nominated, so to find out I’d won – especially in such a tough category where I was up against some truly inspirational young people – was amazing.”

Molly

Do you have a favourite charity you are passionate about?

Molly Turnbull was awarded the overall prize of Young Scot of the Year for her dedication to supporting other young people to overcome difficult times. She completed a gruelling trek to Everest base camp in April 2023, where she hiked to nearly 18,000ft to raise money for the Polar Academy who work with children who are the victims of bullying, abuse or those impacted by a lack of self-esteem.

“The Polar Academy came around at a time when I needed it most, when I was at my lowest. It changed me and my life completely.”

“The Polar Academy came around at a time when I needed it most, when I was at my lowest. It changed me and my life completely.”

Have you ever tried a new sport?

Nayma NaymaSheikhwonthesportawardin onrecognitionofhersignificantaccomplishments thecricketfield.Thewicket-takingwhizz shefromEastKilbridestartedplayingcricketwhen was11andhassincehelpedScotland makehistoryaspartofthefirst-everwomen’s teamtorepresentScotlandataWorldCup.

Celebrity DJ Katy J hosted the awards

Step up to spring

As we look forward to spring, it’s time to dive into the amazing benefits of feeling healthy and happy by moving more, spending time outside and having fun!

Shake it off!

Calling all Swifties! Shake off the winter vibes by getting your body moving! Dance involves concentration and stamina so it’s good for both your body and mind.

Spring skincare

Wheelie good fun

Scooter, bike, wheelchair, skates? Whatever wheels you’ve got, why not create a track or obstacle course and time yourself to see how fast you can get from the beginning to end?

Winter coming to an end means more time spent outdoors. As you think about looking after your skin, be sure not to forget your lips! Keeping the skin on your lips protected with a lip balm can hydrate and repair chapped lips. It also doesn’t hurt if it smells great too! Discover Fruus fruity lip balms at Paper Tiger and get 10% off!

Cartoon time

Taking inspiration from your surroundings, can you create your own cartoon?

Here’s a storyboard to get you started!

Adventure starts here

Spending time outside walking, exploring, playing sport or just soaking up some fresh air can help you sleep better, keep you fit and healthy, help you to feel better about yourself and improve your mood. Here are some ideas for adrenaline filled adventures!

Exploring Scotland’s Great Outdoors

Whether you live in an area with a lot of buildings or you’re closer to nature, there are lots of different things you can do to enjoy some time outside.

For a taste of adventure visit Landmark in Carrbridge.

Did you know

your Young Scot National Entitlement Card gets you discounts on lots of things including some fun

outdoor activities.

This outdoor adventure park is open all year round with tonnes of activities to explore. Most areas are accessible by wheelchair, including meandering through the pine branches of the treetop trail.

This outdoor adventure park is treetop trail.

Or get a view from above at GoApe!

They have outdoor activities near Inverness & Loch Ness, Aviemore, Loch Lomond, Fort William and Loch Tay, as well as many other places in Scotland.

Email us at magazine@young.scot with stories and photos of your adventures!

Set amidst the canopy of a forest, spend hours in the trees at Go Ape, flying down zip wires, leaping off Tarzan swings and navigating obstacles, crossings and rope bridges.

and

Embark on an exciting journey into the wilderness and gain skills in bushcraft, survival, camping, mountaineering and beyond at Earth and Nature Adventures

Test your nerve on the water at Blue Coast Cullen with a coastal adventure, or pick a water or land-based activity at In Your Element

Nature .

Digi Know?

The digital world is a space where you and lots of other young people from around the world can express themselves, find out information and have fun. It’s a place where young people can feel connected to one another, no matter where they’re based.

Digi Know?

The internet was created in 1989 by Sir Tim

Berners-Lee

Navigating the digital world

You might be playing games online on your own or with your friends. It can be fun to chat and interact when gaming. It’s good to remember that just because it’s online and the people are not in front of you, they’re still real!

Sometimes online, you might meet people you don’t know. Remember to treat them in the same way you would a stranger in the real world. You can be polite, but never share any personal information or ask them for any.

If you feel unsure about someone online, or they make you feel uncomfortable, stop contact straight away and tell a trusted adult.

Is everything online true?

Anyone can write and publish a website online. This means that, the information on some webpages is not reliable. The information could be incorrect, inaccurate, or out of date.

What is a digital footprint?

A digital footprint is...

The trace that we leave online

Every time we go online there is some form of trail or information that is left behind

How do I leave a digital footprint?

What you’ve ‘liked’

Videos you have watched

Personal information

Photos and videos you have shared

What you have said online

What you have been ‘tagged’ in Online shopping sites you have viewed

Some ways you can create a positive footprint

Fundraise for a charity using an online sponsorship page

Create a video to teach others something new

Write a blog to promote all the great things you’re doing

Passwords

Passwords are a secret series of letters, numbers and symbols used to keep an account private. The longer and more unusual your password is, the harder it is for a cyber criminal to find out.

Tips for creating a strong password

Avoid using something obvious such as your name, date of birth or your pet’s name.

Use a mixture of upper and lower case letters, numbers and special characters.

Avoid going for something obvious such as ‘P@ssword1’ as it would still be very easy to guess.

You can also make a password difficult to crack by combining three random words. This way, you’re creating a password that will be ‘strong enough’ to keep the criminals out, but easy enough for you to remember.

This is a list of passwords that have been cracked, which one do you think was the hardest to guess?

Do you need to research a topic for a school project?

Here are some things to look out for:

Search engines such as Google, Bing and Yahoo will put the most popular results at the top of the list.

Sometimes you’ll find adverts at the top of your results page - these are marked with ‘AD’ meaning advert. Adverts are not always the most relevant results for what you’re looking for – it just means that a company paid to have their information show up for as many people as possible.

If you’re not sure, always ask an adult if what you found is reliable.

You found some promising looking search results. Great!

Best to first check and see if the results show any of these signs, which can mean that a website is not reliable:

• It is messy and hard to read

• There are lots of spelling mistakes

• There are a lot of adverts popping up

• You can’t see any details on who made the website

• The information is out of date

Don’t download any software or apps from the web, unless you have checked with an adult that it’s safe.

How to look after your devices and personal information

You know that dropping your computer on the ground or spilling something on it might break it – but remember that it’s also possible to do damage in other ways.

There are harmful programmes called malware that can damage the software inside a digital device. Software is the information and apps stored on your computer.

Malware is made to stop your device from running properly.

Sometimes, it will delete all your information and programs.

It might also try and steal your personal information and send it back to whoever created the malware.

Some signs that your device might be infected are:

• Your device slows down

• Your device stops working completely - this is called crashing

• Your device shuts down and restarts by itself - this is called rebooting

Are you ready to challenge your brain and have fun along the way? Here, you will find an exciting mix of puzzles and brain teasers that will test your problem-solving skills

Riddles

1

I’m a secret code, not easy to break, a jumble of letters, for safety’s sake. You see me online, when logging in, What am I called?

Let the guessing begin!

2

I have no doors but I have keys, I have no rooms but I do have a space, you can enter but you can never leave, what am I?

3 What does a computer do when it’s tired?

4

Which of the following words is the odd one out: backups, your pet’s name, 123456, password?

click file internet multimedia command format keyboard network computer graphic menu printer copy hardware modem scanner database icon mouse software

Who doesn’t love getting lost in a good story?

We’re excited to share some of our favourite stories! You can join a band of misfits to save a floating island in Cloudlanders or find out about the incredible stories of some of Scotland’s brilliant women in Spectacular Scottish Women or even accompany 12-year-old Manx on mystery-solving quest in Haarville!

Did you know?

These books are published by our friends at Discover Kelpies – they are the largest, award-winning publisher of children’s books in Scotland!

Cloudlanders

by Christopher Mackie

Bastion is the last country in the world: an island floating high in the sky above the flooded Earth and out of reach of the terrifying tentacles of the sea monster lurking below. Can the Cloudlanders save their floating island from crashing into the Endless Sea and being lost forever?

Spectacular Scottish Women

by Louise Baillie

From authors to athletes, scientists to singers and queens to campaigners –this fascinating collection of women has changed the world in incredible ways.

Haarville

by Justin Davies

Welcome to Haarville –if you’ve arrived, you’ve survived. Twelve-year-old Manx Fearty finds himself on the trail of a murky, mist-muddled mystery –and it’s one he needs to solve fast. Can he save both his family’s legacy and his town?

Remember, you can get 30% off all Discover Kelpies titles and books with your card!

Using your Young Scot National Entitlement Card

Having a card with free bus travel means that you can use it to get to school, go to the shops and visit your friends and family. This might be the first time you have taken a bus trip without a parent, guardian or carer so here are lots of handy tips on travelling and staying safe to make your journey even easier!

5 to 21-year-olds living in Scotland can travel for free on most buses.

If you’re aged between 5 and 15-years-old your parent, guardian or carer will need to apply for the card. Find out the best way to apply at www.freebus.scot

It’s your card and only your card –your friends can’t borrow it.

What is a Young Scot National Entitlement Card and what do you mean by ‘free bus travel’?

It will arrive in the post or at your school and you’re ready to go!

Take good care of it – if you forget it or it gets damaged and doesn’t work, you’ll need to pay the bus fare.

If your card has a photo, make sure it is up to date and it looks like you.

I’m worried about travelling on my own

The most important thing to think about is how you can keep yourself safe. Try not to get distracted. Don’t rush. Be aware of what’s going on around you.

It’s so important to make sure your parents, carers, guardians or friends know where and when you’re travelling. Especially if you’re using the bus for the first time, or are not used to travelling far from home.

Using your card is really easy!

Always keep in touch with your family and friends to let them know where you are – it’s important to stay safe.

Plan your journey. You’ll travel so much more confidently when you know which bus to catch, how long your journey will be and which stop to get off.

Make sure you have your card! If you don’t have this when you board you won’t be able to travel for free.

How do I use my card?

When you are ready to travel, make sure you have your card with you and wave to signal the bus to stop

Take a seat and get ready to press the button before your stop!

Tell the bus driver where you are going then tap your card on the electronic ticket machine

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Do you dream of knowing more about the exciting world of gaming? We speak to Billie, who is a member of the Young Scot Creator Collective, a group of young people who make videos and social media posts about the topics they are passionate about. Billie is also a gaming expert who is helping to address equality and inclusion in the esports industry.

Full name: Billie Purdie

School: Arbroath Academy

First job: Chippy in Arbroath!

Current job: Project development lead at British Esports

Favourite food: Mexican

Favourite game: VALORANT

What is the gaming industry and esports?

Although similar, the gaming industry and esports are two separate industries. The gaming industry is the development, marketing and distribution of video games, whether that be playing on a PC, console or mobile.

Esports can be considered as ‘competitive’ video gaming, transforming online gaming into a spectator sport. In the same way an individual may enjoy watching rugby or netball, fans enjoy watching their favourite players and supporting their favourite teams across various titles of different games.

How can young people find out about new games?

Word of mouth is usually how I have found new games. Finding out recommendations from friends and family as well as watching streamers on Twitch, exploring new games before I consider purchasing.

Why do you like gaming?

Gaming is a form of escapism where I can just chill out and grind a game for hours. I love that it brings lots of different people together from different walks of life. I wish I knew that gaming and esports was a viable career pathway when I was younger.

“I believe the same attitudes that athletes have is just as important in esports - a healthy diet, getting enough exercise and a healthy sleep schedule.”

Sometimes there is a debate about how much time people spend in front of screens, how do you balance your life?

I think routine and balance is extremely important, especially because I spend a lot of time at my PC. Taking breaks in between to stretch, get some fresh air and staying hydrated has all been really important when I know I have a long day. In regards to competing, I believe the same attitude that athletes have is just as important in esports, such as having a healthy diet, getting enough exercise and having a healthy sleep schedule.

Why is representation and diversity in gaming and esports important?

Gaming is a place where you can express yourself more freely, you meet people that appreciate you for who you really are. Representation is important in gaming as it helps establish role models, which for young people is key in promoting participation. I know for sure if I had seen someone who looked like me or spoke like me in gaming, I would have been in this industry sooner, and perhaps wouldn’t have been so shy about it as a kid. It is one of the most inclusive activities out there!

Billie recommends!

Minecraft (PEGI 7)

Rocket League (PEGI 3)

Animal Crossing: New Horizons (PEGI 3)

- a personal fave of mine

“Representation is important in gaming as it helps establish role models, which for young people is key in promoting participation.”