Young people – Page 18 – The NEN

New project launched to provide sailing programmes for young people affected by lockdown

A NEW campaign, Our Isles and Oceans, has launched in Scotland today, which will create funded programmes for young people affected by the pandemic and lockdown.

The Our Isles and Oceans’ mission statement is ‘Youth Opportunity and Professional Development for Sustainable Livelihoods’ and it intends, through the vehicle of sport and business, to highlight the importance of a sustainable future for the next generation, through activities and partnerships with sustainable organisations and enterprises.

The cornerstone of the project will be a partnership with the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race.

Through this partnership, Our Isles and Oceans and the Clipper Race will be providing funded sailing programmes for young people to learn to sail on the West Coast of Scotland.

Our Isles and Oceans is calling for 18-to-35 year-olds to apply to its initiative, as the pandemic has had a negative impact on the age group’s education and employment opportunities over the last 15 months.

The charity, Young Minds, ran a survey earlier this year and found that 67 per cent of young people believe that the pandemic will have a long-term negative effect on their mental health. Our Isles and Oceans aims to provide positive experiences for these young people.

This new project will create social benefits and business growth in the UK, develop enriching participatory events, and spread positivity and inclusion throughout the British Isles.

Through the programmes, businesses will work with young people to provide opportunities for professional development and will focus on building confidence and promoting sustainable livelihoods. This will be a training atmosphere where individuals will gain life experiences and will be fun, exciting and unique.

The Clipper Race is one of the only events of its kind which offers everyday people the opportunity to train to become ocean racing sailors. The confidence built and the skills learnt through the sport of sailing can be transferred from on deck to the workplace which is why the first Our Isles and Oceans programme to launch will take place on a Clipper Race yacht.

This summer, along the west coast of Scotland, up to 50 successful candidates will take part in a funded sailing course on board an Our Isles and Oceans-branded (68ft) Clipper Race training yacht.

Under the guidance of a Clipper Race training skipper, each group of recruits will be challenged to learn new practical skills, develop their self-belief and work as a team.

In addition, ten of these recruits will then be offered the opportunity to apply for an additional four weeks of intensive ocean racing training, to be held at the Clipper Race Training HQ in Gosport, Hampshire.

If successful, they would receive a funded place on board the (70ft) Our Isles and Oceans team entry which will be competing in the Clipper 2023-24 Race. Each recruit would complete one leg of the Clipper Race circumnavigation.

Taking part in this endurance challenge would see them face oceans such as the North Pacific, North or South Atlantic and Southern Ocean, carrying the message of Our Isles and Oceans from a national to a global stage. The Our Isles and Oceans team will compete alongside other organisations and cities and will visit notable ports across the world.

With young people being particularly impacted this past year, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the first person to sail solo, non-stop around the world and co-founder of the Clipper Race, hopes this new programme will make a positive change in the successful candidates’ lives.

He said: “Sailing is so much more than just a sport or pastime as it gives you experience that is as useful in the workplace as it is on board a yacht. The sport develops self-confidence and self-esteem which is so important to restore following the pandemic.

“Everything you do on board a sailing boat is practical and I feel practical skills have somewhat been lost over the years. Knot tying is one of the obvious skills that will be learnt but the crew will also start to understand the weather, the enormity of the sea and how to cope with them both.

“Problem-solving is key to sail training, as is leadership and teamwork. You’ll often find young people are judged too early. Putting them on a yacht, with a team, is a great equaliser. You’ll see things are picked up quickly and as each challenge is overcome, confidence grows, with a new belief in themselves that they can achieve anything.”

Recruitment for the Our Isles and Oceans campaign opens today.

Applicants aged 18-35 can apply through www.ourislesandoceans.co.uk. The focus of recruitment will not be based on past job or work experience but will instead be based on an applicant’s ambition to take part in this special programme. The campaign is looking to assist people who may think opportunities such as these are out of their reach.

Our Isles and Oceans founder, David Stewart Howitt, explains: “In these challenging times, Our Isles and Oceans seeks to bring together the powerful forces of business and sport to offer an inspiring opportunity for the youth of today.

“Our Isles and Oceans will offer applicants the chance to learn from experienced professionals and to push themselves outside their comfort zone to equip them for the challenges of today’s marketplace.

“Outwardly focused and with a relentlessly positive approach, we at Our Isles and Oceans believe that there is opportunity for all given the right chance. We also want to bring awareness to the plight of the oceans and to promote the importance of sustainable livelihoods.”

The Our Isles and Oceans campaign begins with the first series of sailing programmes in July 2021.

Applications are now being accepted through the website at www.ourislesandoceans.co.uk

Follow Our Isles and Oceans at:

www.facebook.com/ourislesandoceans

www.instagram.com/ourislesandoceans

www.twitter.com/OurIslesOceans

www.tiktok.com/@ourislesandoceans

www.linkedin.com/company/our-isles-and-oceans

Strange Town presents Generation Z: The Future is Unwritten

120 young people from Edinburgh create multi-artform production

Strange Town, one of Scotland’s leading theatre companies for young people, is delighted to announce that their large scale multi-artform project – theatre, movement, spoken word, film, sound – ‘Generation Z: The Future is Unwritten’, will culminate in a live promenade performance and video installation event at Out of the Blue Drill Hall, Dalmeny Street on Friday 18 and Saturday 19 June.

Despite the challenges of Covid-19 restrictions throughout the five-month project, Strange Town’s most ambitious production to date has involved more than 120 of Edinburgh’s young people (aged 8 -18), with support from the company’s emerging playwrights (aged 18-25) and directors; and guided and mentored by industry professionals.

Using the stimulus, ‘Can Young People Change the World?’, ‘Generation Z: The Future is Unwritten’ has been created by, and will be performed by, members of the eight Strange Town Youth Theatre Groups from across the city.

The members of Strange Town Youth Theatre responded to the stimulus with work addressing a range of topics including isolation, technology, identity, generational division, Black Lives Matter, climate change, ideal society/world, protest, kindness, having your voice heard and Covid-19.

In order to maximise the opportunities audiences will have to experience the live performance and video installation, the 60-minute promenade event will be presented to 20 socially distanced audience members three times a night in three separate spaces.

The whole audience will come together to experience a live performance from just six actors before being split into two separate groups to watch film and listen to audio material.

Additionally, a site specific eight-minute video will be projected on a wall next to the St. Andrew, Ukrainian Catholic Church of Our Lady of Pochaev, on Dalmeny Street, which will include a specially choreographed movement piece. This will also be be a ticketed event for socially distanced audiences.

On 26 and 27 June there will be an opportunity to pay to view a film of the live event together with a variety of additional video, audio and written material developed by the groups.

Funded by Creative Scotland’s Open Fund: Sustaining Creative Development Programme, through the National Lottery, ‘Generation Z: The Future is Unwritten’ has been developed flexibly in response to the ever-changing situation caused by the pandemic.

The eight groups have met for weekly online digital drama workshops and face-to-face creative sessions, where possible, to explore the question and to create, write, film and record material. The groups have also worked together with members of the new Strange Town Young Writers Group who have both developed the work the groups have devised and written their own additional scenes.

As well as theatre, choreography and movement has played a big part in the project. 70 young people from the company got involved in a professionally choreographed movement piece, reflecting on the stimulus. This involved Zoom rehearsals and everybody recording their final performance on their mobile phones.

Rehearsals for the live performance are now underway with a drastically reduced number of actors working to strict guidelines, while video and sound design and editing is nearing completion

The Creative Scotland funding has also enabled Strange Town to employ a full technical team and additional production staff that include film editors, projection mappers, sound designers, a choreographer and production designer.

Steve Small, co-creative director of Strange Town and producer of ‘Generation Z: The Future is Unwritten’, said: “The Gen Z project is a testament to the hard work put in by everybody involved in the company.

“Despite the challenges and difficulties of the pandemic, watching the enthusiasm, skill and pride with which the production team has undertaken this task and having seen how the young people have adapted and risen to the challenge, as well as the range and quality of the work they’ve produced, it’s impossible not to feel massively encouraged. Despite the dark days of the lockdown restrictions, we hope better days are coming. People will always find a way to be creative.

“Thanks to the funding from Creative Scotland, Generation Z: The Future is Unwritten’s mix of indoor and outdoor and digital work means that everyone will be able to enjoy it wherever they are. We hope it will create some much-needed hope and enjoyment for 2021.”

Scran Café: Youth powered café launched by Scran Academy

Scran Academy, a leading social enterprise in Edinburgh, is delighted to announce the launch of the new Scran Café, a professional café within NHS Lothian’s Comely Bank Centre, planned, launched and run by inspiring young people aged between 13 and 21 from across Edinburgh.

The café’s initial focus will be to create a welcoming, relaxing and safe haven for as many as 100 frontline NHS workers and clinical trainees on a daily basis, offering freshly made meals, drinks and other refreshments.

With an innovative social business model involving a voluntary, private and public sector collaboration, this unique partnership between Scran Academy and NHS Lothian will see more than 100 young people, too often judged and failed by both their city and country, access dedicated employment experience and skills support over the coming three years.

Through the charity’s existing community-based Academy School and Scransitions, a new 16+ employability programme, this ground-breaking social venture will empower these young people with the skills and confidence to lead in the hospitality industry.

At the same time the programme will take a significant bite out of the poverty-related barriers, life challenges and injustices they face on a daily basis – being care-experienced, disengaged from mainstream school, at risk of homelessness, unemployed or suffering from poor mental health.

Scransitions is supported by The National Lottery Fund’s Young Start Project, the Edinburgh Thrive initiative and Walter Scott Giving Group, who have all generously enabled the £300,000 project to run for three years.

The Café will open to the public later in the year as restrictions are eased. There are already strong signs that the café will become an essential resource to the wider community, instrumental in joining up other Scran programmes and initiatives.

Through the charity’s partnerships and intergenerational work including projects involving low-income family, elderly and homeless organisations, there are hundreds of individuals keen to access the cafe and get involved.

The cafe will also provide a free community library, with support from Edinburgh International Book Festival and other bookstores.

Founder of Scran Academy and social entrepreneur, John Loughton BEM (above), himself a young person who grew up struggling in North Edinburgh, said: “At Scran we do hand-ups, not just hand-outs.

“We must all respond and adapt to what is an oncoming crisis for today’s generation that has resulted from education systems failures, a bleak employment context and the rising grip of poverty and mental health. It’s brutal for young people and our work has never been more needed.

“What Scran’s story shows is that if we support local community organisations that are run with passion and authenticity, we can develop creative solutions to social inequality. It also shows that unlike the stereotypes so often in the media, young people make a real and positive contribution to society and your post code does not have to be your destiny.

“I also want to take this opportunity to thank all our funders, schools and volunteers whose contribution to the operation of Scran has made a huge difference to the young people of Edinburgh.”

Royal tennis at Craiglockhart!

Duke and Duchess of Cambridge experience LTA Youth – the LTA’s new and innovative junior tennis programme

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were today given a first-hand introduction to LTA Youth, the new LTA programme that will help more children enjoy the benefits of playing and staying in tennis – whatever their age, gender, ability, disability or background.

The Duke and Duchess were visiting Edinburgh Leisure’s Craiglockhart Tennis Centre to learn more about the new programme and take part in a series of LTA Youth drills with local children.

After an explanation of the principles behind the programme by Scott Lloyd (Chief Executive, LTA) and Olly Scadgell (Participation Director, LTA) the Duke and Duchess went on court to join children from Canal View Primary School, Edinburgh, and try their hand at three fun games that help teach progressive skills for tennis as well as for other sports.

Firstly they did a hopscotch warm up, before picking up racket and ball to play floor tennis against a partner. The Royal couple competed with the children to see who could keep rallies going the longest.

Finally Their Royal Highnesses each captained a team of children in an epic game of ‘team cones’ with each child playing a mini match against the others to secure a point for their team.

Graham Watson (Chair, Tennis Scotland) and Blane Dodds (Chief Executive, Tennis Scotland) explained about the implementation of the programme in Scotland and the opportunity for parents to book courses locally.

Before leaving all the children present were given LTA Youth rackets to inspire them on their journey to becoming young tennis players.

Scott Lloyd, LTA Chief Executive, said: “It was great to be able to show Their Royal Highnesses our new junior tennis programme first hand.

“LTA Youth is designed to be fun, inclusive and competitive and help children enjoy tennis whatever their age. Courses across the country can be booked via the LTA website.”

LTA Youth courses are available to book now across Britain at:

https://www.lta.org.uk/play-compete/lta-youth/youth-programme/

Business accelerator supports young Scottish entrepreneurs by offering £250,000 in startup grants

A business accelerator that supports budding entrepreneurs is offering £250,000 to young people across Scotland who want to grow a digital business.

The sought-after scheme from TwinklHive provides grants and mentorship to individuals aged 18 to 24 and enables young people to commit and pursue entrepreneurship as a full-time career path and make their business dreams a reality.

The combination of funding and dedicated support on offer has been designed to provide a unique educational experience and equip successful applicants with the knowledge and skills to grow successful and sustainable businesses.

To apply, the young entrepreneurs must have a validated concept for a technology-enabled business and a clear vision. Their idea should also be focused on solving a real problem for their customers, as the scholarship is looking to develop the next mission driven founders and cultivate startups that will make a real difference to society.

Each successful applicant will receive a grant of up to £40,000. The scholarship is a full-time position that is set to run for six months, with the opportunity to apply for follow-on investment from the TwinklHive accelerator at the end of this period.

The applicants are not required to pay back the grant, which also covers the founding team’s salaries of up to £20,000 for the six month period.

Set up in 2019, TwinklHive was created by the entrepreneur Jonathan Seaton, who is the Co-Founder and CEO of the global educational publisher Twinkl. Jonathan started Twinkl with his wife Susie Seaton in their spare bedroom over ten years ago. The business now operates in over 200 countries and regions and has over 790 team members based at its offices in Sheffield and around the world.

Since its launch, TwinklHive has supported a variety of mission-led founders from startups in the tech sector, including EdTech, FinTech and HealthTech. The accelerator is working to continually extend its support to the startup ecosystem more widely, including assisting and supporting young and aspiring entrepreneurs with their scholarship scheme.

Alongside the non-repayable grant, candidates will receive mentorship and support from Jonathan and the current startup founders from within the Hive. Candidates will also gain access to the accelerator’s expansive business network. All support and mentorship can be accessed virtually to suit candidate’s locations.

Jonathan Seaton, Co-Founder and CEO at Twinkl and TwinklHive, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to now be in a position to offer support and mentorship to young individuals in Scotland.”

“We have all been living in unprecedented circumstances due to the pandemic. Covid has undoubtedly impacted the job market, and people are looking to find new opportunities and explore new directions as a result.

“For young people who are looking for a new direction or to pursue their business ideas, it can be an exciting yet daunting time. Through the TwinklHive scholarship we endeavor to support young entrepreneurs looking to take that leap and pursue and grow a business of their own.

“When my wife, Susie and I founded Twinkl, we experienced first hand the difficulties young entrepreneurs face when trying to get a business venture up and running. It can be difficult to get investment and having advice from people with experience is invaluable. We hope that we can provide the same kind of advice that helped us all those years ago and give people the opportunity to make a difference to their own lives and to others. ”

Amber Jardine, Hive Manager at Twinkl, said: “The scholarship was created to support young people who are passionate about building a sustainable business. I am so pleased that this year we are able to open this opportunity nationwide and I am looking forward to the prospect of working alongside mission-driven entrepreneurs with innovative solutions.”

The scholarship is open to people across the UK and applications are open now. If you or someone you know would like to apply, please email hive@twinkl.co.uk where further information will be provided.

The closing date for applications is Friday 11th June.

For more information about the scholarship and to find the application form visit the TwinklHive blog.

For more information about TwinklHive visit: www.twinkl.co.uk/hive

World first youth dedicated Smart Village has launched in Scotland

A partnership between the Rural Youth Project and Smart Village Scotland has witnessed the successful launch of a pioneering, youth-centric Smart Village which will champion young people to collaboratively build vibrant, creative, and sustainable rural economies in the places they call home. 

Rebecca Dawes, Director of the Rural Youth Project said: “Smart Villages are a concept driven by the European Network for Rural Development – essentially digital rural ‘villages’ that combine physical and digital communities to improve their resilience, building on local strengths and opportunities.

“As such, the Rural Youth Project Smart Village now functions as a space where young people across Scotland can access helpful resources, connect with others, uncover employment and volunteering vacancies, as well as having their voices heard.”

The platform, which is exclusively dedicated to tackling issues facing rural young people, is funded by LEADER (‘Liaison Entre Actions de Développement de l’Économie Rurale’. Attending the launch was Jackie Brierton, who spoke on behalf of the programme which is committedto funding rural development efforts.

Ms Brierton emphasised the programme’s delight at supporting such an initiative, especially since young people have been so disproportionately affected throughout the pandemic: “The Rural Youth Project Smart Village fulfils all of the requirements we look for when considering funding. It has certainly been community-led; it has been a brilliant example of cooperation; and it is absolutely about innovation. It is truly pioneering.”

The Rural Youth Project Smart Village content has been developed by young people themselves, based on their needs and conversations with other young people in their wider networks and communities. Representing the group of 15 ‘Digital Champions’ who designed and populated the website, Amber Maslen first highlighted the unique and often challenging position youngsters with rural backgrounds are in:

“It has been super inspiring to be part of a group of people who all want the same thing, and to be working to combat the gaps in information that have, in the past, made it difficult to be a young person in rural Scotland looking to start a business or a career.

“We decided on the areas that would be most valuable to our peers, professionally and personally, before cultivating resources that would inspire, educate, and make life seems slightly less overwhelming.”

Rebecca Dawes added: “The launch of the Rural Youth Project Smart Village is a shining example of what can be achieved when individuals and groups come together for greater good and has come at a time when collaboration and support are more important to rural life than ever before.

“Whether you are a young person keen to set up your own profile, an organisation looking to share opportunities on the site, or a business with an exciting story to tell, the extensive and unique display of features provide means for wide-ranging rural success.”

The Smart Village was developed by Hi-Create and in partnership with Smart Village Scotland.

To join the growing network, head to https://rypsv.com.

The Edinburgh Guarantee: ‘A better future for everyone’

Capital’s employability commitment hits 10 year milestone

Edinburgh’s youth employability commitment, the Edinburgh Guarantee, marks a decade while expanding its support to help people of all ages and backgrounds:

Celebrating its 10th year, the Edinburgh Guarantee, originally the Capital’s youth employability commitment, is expanding to help people of all ages access fair work, training and employment opportunities with a new look website launched today by the City of Edinburgh Council.

Recognising the impact the pandemic has had on businesses and training providers, and the ripple effect this has on people’s prospects, there will also be a particular focus on those facing additional barriers to employment with the overall aim to give equal access to job and education opportunities.

The website will be a one stop shop to connect and sign up employers across the city, while offering people a quick and easy access point to job boards, information on training opportunities and additional support routes available.

Under the banner of the Edinburgh Guarantee there are many recognised and successful employability programmes and initiatives including JET Academy, Edinburgh Project SEARCH and at national level the Young Persons Guarantee. Jobseekers also have access to a number of projects that offer free advice and ongoing support including Next Step Edinburgh, All in Edinburgh and Encompass.

Through the Edinburgh Guarantee team and network of employability partners, employers are incentivised to get involved by getting access to additional recruitment support, information on possible funding available and ongoing assistance for their business and new hires where required. All of this makes it easy and rewarding for employers to pledge their support.

Councillor Kate Campbell, Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, said: “The Edinburgh Guarantee is rooted in the principal that everyone should have the opportunity to work, and access to training and skills development, and that everyone who is able to can be part of our city’s recovery. And that by working together, we can create those opportunities and a better future for everyone.

“Now in its 10th year, the Edinburgh Guarantee has been a great success helping so many young people move into fair work or gain the education and training that they deserve. We’re now widening this commitment to include people of all ages and backgrounds which clearly shows our intention to make sure no one is left behind as a result of this pandemic.

“It’s been great to hear how so many organisations across all sizes and sectors are able to play their part. Longstanding lead employers such as Standard Life Aberdeen, NHS Lothian and the City of Edinburgh Council, have paved the way for us to get to where we are today.

“And it is exciting to see that network grow to welcome new and smaller organisations and businesses like Basketball Scotland, JAD Joinery and The Wee Book Company – a small business that recently added to its workforce with a new recruit, made possible through Edinburgh’s Employer Recruitment Incentive, which is a funding package for private SMEs and third sector organisations to help fill vacancies and create new and additional jobs.

Councillor Mandy Watt, Vice Convener, said: “On this 10 year anniversary of the Edinburgh Guarantee I’d like to thank those employers that have been with us since the start and led the way for other businesses and organisations by demonstrating the benefits of getting involved over the last decade.

“We’ve recognised that the end of the furlough scheme will have serious implications and most likely further increase the levels of unemployment across Scotland, so we’re working hard to support and incentivise employers to play a part in the city’s recovery – such as helping smaller supporters access funding to help them to get involved.

“Over the past year we’ve spoken to business owners and employers from across all sectors, gaining valuable insight into the key implications of the pandemic on their industry. This has given us an overview of those who are currently able to offer opportunities as well as those who we may be able to support as we begin to move into the recovery period.”

Edinburgh Guarantee, The Wee Book Company

Gavin Keddie, Publishing Assistant at The Wee Book Company was recruited thanks to the Edinburgh’s Employer Recruitment Incentive

The Wee Book Company, a new publishing business in the city, became aware of Edinburgh’s Employer Recruitment Incentives and as part of the Edinburgh Guarantee offer, employers who recruit someone with barriers to employment can secure up to £6,000 to help with the costs.

With the funding available to them they have been able to create a Publishing Assistant post for Gavin Keddie which he started in March 2021.

Andrew McAllister, Head of Sales at The Wee Book Company, said: “As a small business, the Edinburgh Guarantee has literally made the difference in us being able to give Gavin an opportunity, who has been a revelation. In a matter of only a few weeks he has been really helpful to the development of our publishing business.

“Gavin has come in and we have been really impressed with his commitment, effort and excellent knowledge of modern technology. As a result of being made aware of Gavin’s Aspergers condition, we were able to recognise that he had great talent, but during the interview was a little shy and reserved and was definitely very modest about his previous achievements including the fact that he has been successfully published and written at least five books to date.”

Young business people are discussing together a new startup project. A glowing light bulb as a new idea.

Established in 2011 to address the needs of school leavers who were unable to move into a positive destination following the last economic downturn, the Edinburgh Guarantee has since worked with over 550 employers to get over 3,500 young people into apprenticeships or training opportunities.

Many partners have come together to support this initiative’s continued success including colleges, voluntary sector organisations and national programmes, while also making it easy and rewarding for private sector businesses and organisations to play their part in helping people across the city.

Community Council to meet local police to discuss antisocial behaviour in Drylaw

Drylaw Telford Community Council is to meet local police tomorrow following a spike in antisocial incidents across the area.

Recent weeks have seen two serious street attacks in Wester Drylaw along with a number of other incidents of vandalism including refuse bins being set on fire.

The community council was alerted to one incident by an Easter Drylaw woman last month: “My neighbours house (unoccupied) was set fire to last night by kids setting fire to wheeliebins.

“I had 4 small children in my house petrified and screaming as we couldn’t get out our front floor for flames. It is same group of kids constantly causing trouble in street cutting through street to skate park.

“I have had my windows smashed, fire posted through letter box and glass bottles thrown at my dogs. Its getting our of hand last night luckily someone seen the fire taking real hold last night or a dread to think what the outcome would have been today. It is now putting peoples lives in danger. What has happened to this area?”

The community council has now been able to arrange a virtual meeting with local police officers to discuss community concerns. The meeting will take place via Microsoft Teams tomorrow evening at 7pm.

If you would like to submit question to local police or you are interested in attending the meeting, please contacr vickynicolsondtcc@hotmail.com or visit Drylaw Telford Community Council’s Facebook page.

Free Theatre Auditions in Edinburgh this Weekend

Renowned talent management and theatre training programme, Stagebox, will be hosting its Edinburgh auditions at Dance Base, Scotland’s National Centre for Dance, on Sunday (16^th May 2021).

If you know a young performer aged 8-18 years old who is looking to take their talent to the next level, Stagebox is inviting auditionees to take to the stage at this weekend’s in-person audition workshops.

Successful talent will enjoy the exclusive award-winning performance training programme during the school holidays, as well as benefitting from the talent management at Stagebox.

For the first time, auditions are free of charge, with Stagebox founders keen to encourage everyone with a love of theatre to come along and audition.

https://youtu.be/ACfjwCqHAgY

Stagebox recently released a video featuring its Edinburgh cast performing an original medley from Disney’s The Little Mermaid on YouTube, so hopeful auditionees can envision just what it’s like to be part of the Stagebox world. The video has already amassed an impressive 5,000 views in less than a week.

With Stagebox alumni starring on stage and screen, many securing lead roles for Disney, Netflix, in the West End and beyond, Stagebox offers rising stars the chance to train smart, build industry connections and gain unrivalled opportunities in theatre, television and film.

Stagebox’s General Manager, Jasmine Quinlan Gardner, said: “It’s been a turbulent period for the performing arts industry to say the least, and we’re so delighted to be holding the free auditions in Edinburgh.

“Stagebox is about opportunity, and we’re thrilled to be celebrating the country’s budding talent.”

Kirsti Bagger, Head Agent at Stagebox said: “We’re looking to meet new performers with passion, ambition and star quality.

“We’re very passionate about accessibility and inclusivity which is why we’re removing audition fees this May – we welcome children from all backgrounds, from newcomers all the way up to advanced level and we can’t wait to see what the young people of Edinburgh have to offer!”

These auditions are guaranteed to fill up fast and limited spaces apply. To register your spot for the Edinburgh audition date, please visit Eventbrite.

To find out more about Stagebox, please head to: https://www.stagebox.uk/

*Auditions will be socially distanced in adherence with COVID-19 guidelines.