Scottish Labour Party member, Stuart Clark, has been attending conferences for more than a decade.

Here, the 28-year-old writes about going to his first conference at the age of 16 and the "passionate and principled" people he has met.

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I went to my first Scottish Labour conference when I was 16. I'd just joined the party and had started to get involved.

I think my local party were taking a bit of a chance on me by selecting me as their delegate and I was grateful because it was an amazing experience.

Stuart Clark has been attending conferences since he was 16

I felt at home at that first conference because I knew I was in a party that wanted a better life for people.

It was obvious I was in a party who wouldn't look the other way whilst life chances were squandered. It was exciting to meet so many people who were passionate about tackling inequality, hardship and injustice.

I have kept coming back, every conference since, because conference is a good reminder that the party I joined still represents those values. I have heard some inspirational speeches by party leaders, parliamentarians and conference delegates.

As a delegate, taking part in decision making at conference is very important. It can be exciting to have a say in important policy decisions and to deliver a speech in front of so many people.

I first made a speech at conference on behalf of my local party in 1998 on the topic of higher education.

As someone paying off a student loan I hope delegates will have a thing or two to say at this conference about the SNP's broken promise to pay off my student debt.

But the main hall is not the only place that ideas are discussed and debated, fringe meetings are held before and after conference sessions.

'Catching up'

At the last Scottish conference I was asked to speak in a fringe about future policy priorities and it was great to hear the ideas of others on so many policy areas.

But conference is not all about serious politics, there is also a social side too.

It can be exhausting spending time catching up with old friends you only really see once a year and also making new ones.

I hope that for any new delegates they find their first Scottish Conference as welcoming, exciting and motivating as I did myself

I've even found myself being offered an agent after my contributions to the conference karaoke, though I think I may have just been the best in a pretty bad bunch.

The people involved are definitely what makes conference such a meaningful body.

Here, at Scottish Labour conference I have met some of the most committed, principled and passionate people you could come across.

People join the Labour Party, in fact any political party, because of their ideas and their beliefs.

It is a good thing to do and taking part in a political party is good for democracy.

I will always hold my head high as a member of the Labour Party because I know that we have helped make our country a better, more decent society - not just in the last 10 years, but for over 100.

I now find myself chairing this conference and I hope that as many people as possible will be able to have their say.

I hope that for any new delegates they find their first Scottish conference as welcoming, exciting and motivating as I did myself.