Search is on for youth work champions

Scotland’s national agency for youth work, YouthLink Scotland, is looking for local youth workers and volunteers who make a real difference to the lives our young people to be recognised at a national level.

Youthlink is seeking nominations from organisations and young people throughout Scotland for the National Youth Worker of the Year Awards 2017.

The 10^th National Youth Worker of the Year Awards will be a celebration of the crucial work that is being done by the nation’s 80,000 youth workers, paid and voluntary. Volunteers clock up a staggering 13 million volunteer hours each year.

YouthLink Scotland is searching for outstanding examples of talent, dedication and commitment from across the voluntary and local authority sectors, as well as in the many support agencies and community organisations where youth work takes place.

With nearly 400,000 young people benefiting from youth work each week, the awards will reflect youth work’s impact on young people’s increased life chances, personal development and well-being.

Jim Sweeney MBE, Chief Executive of YouthLink Scotland, said: “Scotland has one of the most vibrant youth work sectors in the world. In every area, every day, thousands of youth workers are helping our young people to follow their dreams, build their confidence and realise their potential. From local youth work and schools partnerships through to dedicated employability projects, we know there are hundreds of examples of youth workers making a positive, and long-lasting impact on the lives of our young people. We know that #youthworkchangeslives , so let’s nominate so we can celebrate some of these amazing people.”

The deadline for nominations is Monday 16 January 2017. An Awards Dinner to announce and celebrate the achievements of the finalists will be held on Thursday 16 March 2017 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Glasgow.

To find out more information about the National Youth Worker of the Year Awards 2017 and to download a nomination form, visit the YouthLink Scotland website at www.youthlinkscotland.org

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Vacancies at Royston Wardieburn

Youth & children work opportunities at Royston Wardieburn Community Centre

National award for Pilmeny Youth Centre

Recognition for Pilmeny’s World War One project

Congratulations to Leith’s Pilmeny Youth Centre, who won the Sunday Mail Young Scot Community Award for their Remembering the Leith Battalion project at a gala event at the EICC last night. Continue reading National award for Pilmeny Youth Centre

Healthy Respect: Junction patron Irvine Welsh drops in

“It’s an honour for me to be able to support this organisation and indeed this community, both of whom I admire.” – Irvine Welsh

The Junction – Young People, Health & Well-being is a Leith based charity offering support to young people living in North East Edinburgh. Irvine Welsh was born in Leith and grew up in North East Edinburgh which gives him an understanding of the challenges these young people may face. Continue reading Healthy Respect: Junction patron Irvine Welsh drops in

Granton Youth Centre: Community Meeting

TUESDAY 2 FEBRUARY, 5.30pm

We are holding a short community meeting on Tuesday 2^nd February from 5.30pm in the Main Hall at GYC to raise awareness and discuss issues and concerns regarding the City of Edinburgh Council Revenue Grant budget cuts and finances moving forward for GYC.

Young people, volunteers, staff and the wider community have been invited to attend and we warmly invite yourself. The purpose of this meeting is as follows:-

1. Information regarding City of Edinburgh Council Budget Cuts

2. Impact on GYC’s work, services and staff.

3. How you can continue to support GYC in 2016/2017

4. Contacting Edinburgh Council on behalf of GYC, to raise concerns

We sincerely hope you can come along and offer any input on the evening.

If you are able to attend we would appreciate it if you can please let us know by return email.

Wendy@grantonyouth.com

0131 467 5854

Granton Youth Centre, 3-11 West Granton Road, Edinburgh EH5 1HG

www.grantonyouth.com

Care about local youth services?

Community meeting at Granton Youth Centre

Tuesday 2 February 5.30pm

MY Adventure leader James dies in holiday accident

MY Adventure director James Howell has died in an accident while on holiday.

Muirhouse Youth Development Group (MYDG’s) Board has issued the following statement:

Over the weekend James was involved in a tragic accident and passed away. At this time we don’t know the full details and we want to provide his family and the MYA team with some time to get their head round it. Normal service will resume at MYA and we will be in touch with the best point of contact for any questions in due course.

James came to MY Adventure two years ago with over 15 years of experience in outdoor education, adventure activities and expedition leadership. He worked extensively in the UK, Asia and Africa and was a passionate believer in the power of the outdoors to change lives for the better.

Our thoughts are with James’ family and colleagues at this terribly difficult time.

Who are Edinburgh’s youth champions?

Search is on for capital’s top youth workers

Scotland’s National Agency for Youth Work is looking for the very best youth work being done with young people across Edinburgh. Youth workers and volunteers in Scotland are being encouraged to nominate entries for the National Youth Worker of the Year Awards 2016 organised by YouthLink Scotland. Continue reading Who are Edinburgh’s youth champions?

Local youth projects share criminals’ cash!

‘Investing in our young people is always money well spent’ – Justice Secretary Michael Matheson MSP

Muirhouse Youth Development Group (MYDG), Granton Youth Centre and The Yard (above) are among the youth projects to receive cash from the latest round of Cashback grants announced today.

In this funding round YouthLink Scotland has awarded £41,156 of CashBack funding to 17 organisations within the youth work sector in Edinburgh to deliver a whole range of projects for local young people.

The CashBack for Communities Youth Work Fund is administrated and delivered by the National Agency for Youth Work, YouthLink Scotland on behalf of Scottish Government.

Among those organisations to receive funding is The Big Project in the city’s Broomhouse area, they benefited to the tune of £4,406 to provide youth clubs twice a week for local youngsters.

Edinburgh City 6VT project have also been given a grant of £2,125 to carry on their work with local young people. Fiona Home, Development Co-ordinator for 6VT, said the support from CashBack over the years had been vital to their work with young people across the capital, especially since the project has recently had to find new premises.

“This June we move to our new location in the Grassmarket, currently we are operating out a church hall nearby. Without this support we would undoubtedly have lost contact with many of our young people, leaving them with nowhere to go and back to hanging out on the streets,” she said.

Broomhouse Young Carers were awarded £1,996 for a summer programme. The organisation offers respite to young carers aged 7-18 by way of weekly support groups, holiday programmes and residentials.

Kids in the Street, who offer street sports and coaching, have been given £2.100 for their youth activity programme. Susan Law, Administrator with KITS said: “The CashBack grant makes a huge difference to the range of sessions we can provide including girls football, street based sessions and our junior football academy.”

Restalrig’s Ripple Project received £3,105 to provide a dedicated girls-only provision to local young people at a vulnerable stage in their lives, providing them with a safe place to explore and address the issues and pressures that impact on young women. With the support and guidance of specialist youth workers, the girls also access a range of educational and leisure opportunities.

Liz Ferguson, who leads the project, said the funding helps to level the playing field for local young people. She said: ““These experiences through CashBack funding, go a long way in helping us develop confident and aspirational young women in a community of significant disadvantage.”

Commenting on the latest round of CashBack for Communities Youth Work Fund awards, Justice Secretary, Michael Matheson said: “Investing in our young people is always money well spent and I am delighted that the Scottish Government’s Cashback for Communities programme is providing this valuable funding for worthy projects across Edinburgh.

“This government is committed to ensuring all young people reach their full potential. The vast majority of them are a credit to society but we want to prevent the small minority getting involved in crime or antisocial behaviour in the first place.”

Chief Executive of YouthLink Scotland, Jim Sweeney added: “Crime is a real blight on our neighbourhoods and it is right that money from the proceeds of crime goes back to the very heart of our communities, our young people. We know that youth work really does change the lives of young people, not only in Edinburgh but in every part of Scotland.”

List of Awards – City of Edinburgh (£41,156)

The BIG Project £4,406
The Broomhouse Centre £1,996
St Teresa’s Youth Club £1,800
Granton Youth Centre £3,000
Beyond Gender Youth Project £1,608
The Yard Adventure Centre £2,912
Edinburgh City Youth Cafe (6VT Youth Cafe) £2,125
Pilmeny Development Project £2,783
Canongate Youth £1,404
Kids in the Street ( KITS) £2,100
Muirhouse Youth Development Group £1,525
Wester Hailes Youth Agency £1,750
Craigentinny-Lochend Social Centre £2,880
The Ripple Project £3,105
Jack Kane Community Centre £1,938
Citadel Youth Centre £4,674
Ferrywell Youth Project £1,150

Edinburgh youth nominees up for awards

Edinburgh will be well represented at the annual National Youth Worker of the Year awards dinner in Glasgow next week. Five city-based nominees are among the finalists.

Citadel Youth Centre’s Karen Anderson has been nominated in the Youth Worker of the Year category and Kerry Reilly of YMCA Edinburgh is on the shortlist for Youth Work Manager of the Year. Leith-based Sikh Sanjog is in the running for Team of the Year for their Heritage Inclusion project and both Kerry Smith (Prince’s Trust)and Graeme Stewart (Police Scotland) have received nominations for their collaborative work on a programme based in Edinburgh College .

Preparations are in the final stages for this year’s event on Thursday (12 March) at the Crowne Plaza in Glasgow. Winners will be chosen in nine different categories from twenty-seven nominees and there is also a Lifetime Achievement Award.

Minister for Children and Young People Fiona McLeod MSP will present the winners with their awards. She said: “The National Youth Worker of the Year Awards are a great platform for celebrating the fantastic and often unseen work done by young people in our communities. I congratulate all twenty-seven of the selected finalists and wish all of them well ahead of the big night.”

These are the eighth annual awards and this years event will be hosted by broadcaster and DJ Arlene Stuart.

The event is sponsored by Scottish Fire and Rescue Services, One Awards, Young Scot, CLD Standards Council for Scotland, Generations Working Together, The Scottish Community Safety Network, The D of E, SQA, Youth Scotland and Education Scotland – quite a list!

YouthLink Scotland Chief Executive Jim Sweeney said: “The awards are a true celebration of our unstinting belief in our young people”.