Policy Seminar Planning Group

Through key supported meetings and events, the YouthLink Scotland Policy Seminar Planning group plays a valued role in supporting members to review, research, and promote national and international policy and good practice. Policy Seminars are opportunities for young people, youth work practitioners, policy makers, academics, and other interested stakeholders to come together to create precious time for critical thinking and reflection. This helps build an evidence base to advocate for change on the issues that matter to young people and the youth work sector.

The first Policy Seminar took place in Glasgow and focused attention towards adverse childhood experiences and the development of resilience within the context of youth work relationships and practice. The second policy seminar took place in Edinburgh and focused attention towards digital youth work and cyber resilience.

Policy Seminars in 2019

UNCRC Incorporation into Scots Law and Youth Work - This seminar explored the incorporation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) into Scots Law This seminar will encourage input and reflection on the principles of the UNCRC and the role of youth work and any potential impacts as we move towards incorporation. The findings from this seminar can be found here.

Youth Work's Role in the Youth Justice System - This seminar explored youth work’s role in prevention, care, recovery and support for young people in the youth justice system. The findings from this seminar can be found here.

Policy Seminars in 2020

A series of three Policy Seminars on Climate Action took place over the summer of 2020:

On World Oceans Day (8 June) we were joined by On Our Wave Length and Marine Conservation Society to take a deep dive on World Ocean’s Day into what a green/blue post Covid-19 recovery might look like and what role young people can play!

In the second of YouthLink Scotland’s Policy Seminar Series on Climate Action, we were joined by #iwill and Scottish Youth Parliament to discuss the role of young people and practitioners' role in engaging and empowering young people to take environmental action at home. 

On World Youth Day (12 August) Rural Youth Project and young steering committee partners helped us connect rural youth practice with climate change action.

YouthLink Scotland used the series to form views/actions and build an evidence base that connects youth work practice to police influencing at all levels. 

#RightToYouthWork - YouthLink Scotland Policy Convention 2021

Almost 200 delegates signed up for YouthLink Scotland’s Policy Convention on a Right to Youth Work for all Scotland’s young people on 16 September 2021. Thank you to all attendees from across the youth work sector and beyond for being part of such an informative and enthusiastic policy convention. Special credit goes to all the young people and youth work practitioners who provided video inputs on the day. These were very well received.

It was a pleasure to welcome speakers from Scotland, England, Malta and Australia, creating a truly global feel. Thank you for giving up your time. All sharing a commitment to youth work, which helped enormously at building a movement feel for the day. What is clear from the event is that there has never been a more fertile time to progress the discussion on a right to youth work. We look forward to working with you all again soon and bringing more people into the #RightToYouthWork tent!

We hope you take the time to peruse and use the event pack for some key resources from #YouthLinkPolicyCon.

Policy Convention 2021 report and recommendations.

YouthLink Scotland Policy Convention 2022: Youth Work is Human Rights Work

After the successful policy convention on a right to youth work in 2021, we are pleased to announce our next policy convention, “Youth Work is Human Rights Work”, will take place on Thursday, December 8.

You will hear from and be part of a discussion with local, national and international speakers on the role youth work plays at enabling and enhancing the rights of young people across a range of public policy areas.

We will continue the discussion on a right to youth work, the sector’s role in the implementation of UNCRC into Scots Law and how this links to the priorities of the new National Youth Work Strategy (2022-2027). We will consider how we can promote and connect a strengthened practice and how this links to wider Human Rights Treaties.

This event is free to YouthLink Scotland Members and £10.00 per organisation for non-members. We want to be as inclusive as possible, so, please get in touch with the event organiser, Kevin Kane, if you are unsure of your membership status, or if you want to know more!

If you are not sure of your membership status, you can check our online directory showing members of YouthLink Scotland.

This event has been scheduled the same week as Human Rights Day, which takes place on Saturday 10 December.

For more information on our Policy Seminars, please email Kevin Kane.