Welcome
The Scottish Young Planners' Network is a network of over 300 young planners across Scotland. The activities of the network are organised by a steering group of 15 members.
SYPN aims to provide a platform for communication between Young Planners, both in employment and in full time education, and also provide a means by which issues affecting Young Planners, including their career development can be highlighted and discussed.
Contact us to be added to the SYPN mailing list and be the first to hear about our events.
Latest News
Peter Suttie Award
SYPN is has re-launched the Peter Suttie award. The award is organised by SYPN and supported by RTPI Scotland, Heads of Planning Scotland and Aberdeenshire Council.
It’s aim is based on the fact that Peter Suttie, the former Director of Planning and Development with Aberdeenshire Council, was know for his dedication and commitment both to Aberdeenshire and its predecessor Authorities and to the wider planning profession.
This award is aimed at young planners who would be funded to undertake a comparative study into planning issues. An award of £500 is to be made to enable completion of a piece of work, either in the UK or abroad. The work is not necessarily restricted to written material. Photographic, video or other media formats would be acceptable and innovative proposals welcomed.
The award is directed towards young graduate planners (Licentiates) working in Scotland and those studying for an accredited qualification at a Scottish University
You can get more details here.
Statement of Commitment
At the Scottish Young Planners' Conference held on 26 February, Derek Mackay, Minister for Local Government and Planning endorsed a Commitment of Support to Young Planners. This outlines how SYPN, RTPI Scotland and Scottish Government believe that our young planners are an asset that can help to deliver high quality and positive planning that creates great places for people; how they are committed to doing all that they can to support, nurture and promote our young planners; and how they will develop and promote opportunities for student placements, graduate internships and secondments for young planners in Scotland. It is hoped to get other key organisations to sign up to this as well.
Summit on Placements, Internships and Secondments
On 13 June SYPN hosted a summit on Placements, Internships and Secondments involving key employer organisations including RTPI Scotland, Scottish Government and Key Agencies, the Improvement Service, planning consultants and Homes for Scotland. The summit agreed to sign up to a statement of commitment supporting placements, internships and secondments; to exploring the possibility of organising a graduate fair; and to engage with universities. All action points agreed can be found here. (pdf)
What We Do
The SYPN carries out a range of activities including:
- Hosting an Annual Conference
- Organising CPD events
- APC and mentoring workshops
- Presentation to Planning Schools
- SYPN Newsletter
- Articles in Planning Magazine & Scottish Planner
- Organising Networking events
- Annual event with the Scottish Governments Chief Planner
- Close working with RTPI Chapters and Planning Aid for Scotland
- Cross-discipline events with other built environment professionals
- A lot of our work involves supporting and liaising with a range of organisations and bodies across Scotland
- Scottish Planning Education Forum
- Heads of Planning Scotland (HoPS)
- Jim Boyack Trust support
- Peter Suttie Award
In addition members of the steering group have formal positions on the RTPI s Scottish Executive Committee and the RTPI Young Planners Advisory Group of which our representative is Alasdair Edwards.
It's your network!
The SYPN has been working for years to raise the profile of the network and we now believe we have a strong voice within Scotland. The network will only continue to get better with involvement of its members. If you have any ideas about events or issues you would like us to raise or indeed you would like to write articles for any of the above publications please do get in touch!
About us
The purpose of the SYPN is to address the needs and involvement of Young Planners within the Institute in Scotland and to assist in raising the Institutes profile in Scotland, and promoting the Institutes Young Planners Network.
The Scottish Young Planners Network (SYPN) has been running since 2003, organising conferences and events that appeal to planners who are starting out in the profession. Young planners have a different perspective on our work and the planning system we help to implement and operate. We can also have different needs and interests than those who have been established as planners for longer.
We try to bring this perspective to the debate on changing Scottish planning for the better. Having all been attracted to this profession, young planners working in Scotland have a lot in common, even if we work for different, and sometimes opposing, interests. What matters is that we are all trying to improve the physical surroundings and quality of environment we see every day. We need support and opportunities to meet and discuss how best to achieve this.
View our remit as set by the Scottish Executive Committee here.
Minutes from our recent steering group meetings can be found here:
If you would like further information on the SYPN then please contact us, also contact us if you have any ideas for events in your area.
If you would like to raise something for us to discuss at our steering group meetings please contact us on sypn@rtpi.org.uk.
Meeting dates for 2012 are:
- Friday 3rd August - 2pm
- Tuesday 10th October - 1.30pm
- Thursday 6th December - 2pm
Joining the steering group
Where vacancies on the steering group arise these are advertised through emails to members our newsletter. We are however also interested in hearing from young planners who are able to assist on an ad hoc basis with the organisation of our activities.
Events
Each year the SYPN organise an annual conference, a range of CPD events, APC sessions for both licentiates and mentors, networking events and a number of cross-discipline events.
Upcoming events
- 26 February 2012: Scottish Young Planners Conference, Edinburgh
Watch this space for updated information on events!
Recent events
Reviews of all of our events are included in our newsletter which you can find on the communications page.
- An Audience with Paul Farmer, Chief Execuitve Officer, American Planning Association, 28 June 2012, Edinburgh
- SYPN Annual Conference Delivering Development: Meeting the Challenge, Tuesday 20th March, Glasgow
- Morton Fraser Seminar on EIA and S75 Seminar Event - 3rd May 2011, Edinburgh
- Election Manifesto Hustings Q and A Event in conjunction with The Built Environment Forum Scotland (BEFS) and the the RTPI (Edinburgh, Lothians, Fife and Borders Chapter 27th April 2011, Edinburgh
- SYPN Question Time with the Scottish Governments Chief Planner, Jim Mackinnon - September 28th 2011, Glasgow
- Network 2011 Event Cross Discipline event with Young Lawyers and Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors - 10 November 2011, Glasgow
- Huntly Flood Alleviation Scheme SYPN & Institute of Civil Engineering (ICE) Seminar 15 November 2011, 6:15pm, Strathclyde University, Glasgow
- Shepperd and Wedderburn Seminar on Compulsory Purchase and legal challenges -24th November 2011, 5.30pm, Edinburgh
Communications
The SYPN produces a regular newsletter that provides further information of our activities, details of forthcoming events and topical articles.
We also contribute to the Young Planners' page in the RTPI news section in Planning, and have a regular slot in Scottish Planner.
Social media
Did you know that we also have a LinkedIn Group? The RTPI in Scotland has set up a discussion group and SYPN is a subgroup of this, why not join both to keep up to date with all that is happening in planning?
Newsletters and articles
Copies of our recent newsletters and other articles can be found below as PDFs. If you have any ideas or would like to contribute to future editions then please email us.
Please contact us via email at sypn@rtpi.org.uk
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