Press and Public Affairs

• Sector leaders issue dire warning over £20m income loss

  Youth work leaders in Scotland have issued a stark warning to national politicians and local councils as a new report shows an immediate funding loss this year of £20 million to the sector, with predictions of further losses of tens of millions post lockdown.

• New campaign challenges Scottish councils to include young people in climate crisis decision-making

  Youth campaigners have launched a call to Scottish councils to ensure that young people play a meaningful role in making important decisions about how to tackle the current environmental crisis.

• Celebrity Chef Tom Kitchin backs new national campaign to save youth work services as figures reveal millions in cuts

  Youth work leaders in Scotland have launched a major national new campaign calling for ALL political parties to ensure significant investment into the youth work sector.

• Key youth projects at risk as no deal Brexit hangs over Erasmus+ funding – Boris Johnson must commit to its continuation

  Scotland’s national agency for youth work unveils new European Guidelines for Digital Youth Work and re-iterates their call for the UK Prime Minister to commit to the continuation of Erasmus+ youth funding.

• Research project for Scotland’s Year of Coasts and Waters launched

  Ahead of Scotland’s Year of Coasts and Waters in 2020, YouthLink Scotland are launching ‘On Our Wave Length’. The project will support young people to research the impact of climate change in their coastal communities, alongside a nationwide campaign.

• National treasure hunt launched with a creative twist

  This year as part of our campaign, to raise awareness of Cashback for Communities and how creative young Scots are, projects all over Scotland invite the public to get involved in a journey of artistic discovery and to share their finds through selfies on social media.

• New 10 Year Report Celebrates Scotland's Prevention Approach To Knife Crime

  A report charting the success of the No Knives Better Lives initiative in Scotland has been launched today. No Knives Better Lives (NKBL) is a national programme designed to deter young people from using and carrying a knife. It is a youth work focused initiative supported by Scottish Government delivered by YouthLink Scotland in collaboration with local partners.

• ‘We’re Not Doing Well Enough On Child Mental Health’, First Minister Tells Audience Of Young People From Across Scotland

  The First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, has told an audience of young people about ‘horrific’ comments on her social media channels, why her government is not doing well enough on mental health, that she would still ‘dingy’ Donald Trump – and why she hated her first job.

• Scotland’s National Youth Champion Of The Year 2019 Announced

  Eilaine Coffey, a youth worker from Dundee has been named Scotland’s Youth Worker of the Year 2019 for her work in empowering vulnerable young people to turn their lives around.

• New Stock Images on Knife Crime Aim to Change Media Narrative Around Young People

  A new collection of stock images on knife crime have been launched in an effort to reduce the use of graphic and sensationalised images in the media of young people.

• Youth workers say community relations negatively impacted since EU referendum

  A report released today by two leading youth work sector organisations shows youth workers have witnessed a negative impact on community relations since the EU Referendum in June 2016.

• First Minister challenged by young people on access to mental health support and aftermath of Brexit

  The First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, has been questioned by young people from across Scotland about her government’s commitments on access for young people to mental health services, a second referendum on Brexit, and improving support for care-experienced young people.

• First ever First Minister’s Question Time for Children and Young People launched as part of Year of Young People 2018

  In a landmark participation project, children and young people will have the opportunity to scrutinise the First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, as First Minister’s Question Time is taken out of Holyrood and across Scotland.

• ‘Youngwummin’ exhibition highlights need to step up campaign for women’s equality

• New report on sectarianism online shows football as main contributor to sectarian prejudice

• Organisations across the UK come together to launch Brexit campaign to #KeepErasmusPLus

• ‘Youngwummin’ project to uncover forgotten Scottish heroines of World War One

• Scotland's top youth worker celebrated for improving attainment with disadvantaged young people

• Scotland’s political leaders come together for #iwill to support young people

• Exhibition highlights hidden Scotswummin of influence

• Interim youth work strategy report demonstrates the real difference youth work makes

• National agency issues challenge over EU funding to next UK Prime Minister