The Ulster Young Unionist Council, or simply the Young Unionists for short, has been in existence since 1946. We play and active and integral role throughout the party and all its structures.

The UYUC vigorously campaigns on the issues which are really affecting young people today; we also regularly discuss the major issues that are currently happening across Northern Ireland and further a field.

The Young Unionists have a large membership all across Northern Ireland and this is continuing to rise considerably, and is apparent through the constant formation of new YU branches. We currently have branches in Belfast City, Lagan Valley, Mid Ulster - West Tyrone, Newry and Armagh - South Down and Fermanagh and South Tyrone.

The Young Unionists are also active across most of Northern Ireland's universities. We have a large organization at Queens University Belfast and we have been very successful in student elections there in recent years. We also play a formidable role on the Student Representative Council and we stride to best serve all the students of the University to the best of our capabilities. We are also the only Unionist party that organizes in the University of Ulster, having branches in both Jordanstown and Coleraine, the latter having just formed in early 2008 but already extremely successful.

We are committed to maintaining the Union with Great Britain, and stride to ensure that Northern Ireland continues to play an integral role within the United Kingdom.

Below are the elected officers to the UYUC Executive Committee for the 2009/10 term;

Chairman - Michael Shilliday
Vice-Chairman - Alasdair O'Hara
Secretary - Stephen Goss
Treasurer - Mark Ovens
Organiser - Craig Blaney
Campaigns Officer - Colin Sloan
Public Relations Officer- Alan Dourish
Membership Secretary - Peter Gray

Co-opted members to the UYUC Executive Committee

· Richard Price

· Alex Redpath

· Andrew Wilson

Visit the Young Unionists website at www.youngunionists.org.uk

Ulster Unionist Youth Development Officer and Community and Voluntary Sector Spokesman Kenney Donaldson has warned of the dangers of social networking abuse saying that it can leave young people vulnerable.

"Social Networking sites have sprung up out of nowhere in these past few years, Bebo, Facebook and MySpace being the most popular. These sites provide a virtual meeting space for the youth of today and in an ever increasingly I.T dominated World, these sites are very attractive. However I think we need to recognise that there also lies a hidden danger and these sites can leave many young people vulnerable."

"This can he in various forms - first of all - are all those accessing these sites who they say they are? Networking sites provide a realm where the cover of cyberspace means you don't really know who they are. Many cases have hit the public spotlight, highlighting the evident danger of these sites - from house parties being crashed, to suicide pacts being established (often between absolute strangers) and there have also been countless cases of users having been introduced to online predators including paedophiles."

"Indeed in Northern Ireland these sites have been used as a vehicle by those who wish to instigate fights - we have seen this in a number of incidents throughout the Country - in Belfast - in Dungannon - in Londonderry and in Armagh to name but a few. Young people are encouraged to get involved in these incidents and even feel pressurised into doing so."

"I am also aware of paramilitary organisations and other vigilante groups who use social networking sites to promote their own intolerance and hatred of others and as a means to recruit impressionable and vulnerable young people."

"I would therefore urge young people and their parents to be cautious - make sure the sites being visited are regulated and ensure that you are not unwittingly leaving yourself and/or your children vulnerable. There is also a major responsibility on the part of these host social network site providers to ensure that their sites are properly regulated and policed and that offensive and/or criminal promotion material is removed forthwith," concluded Kenny.

ENDS…