Equality and Inclusion | YouthLink Scotland

Action on Prejudice (AoP)

Training and Professional Learning

Delivered Intersectional Youth Work, Racial Literacy and Deaf and Sight Loss Awareness training to 215 participants.
Participants committed to sharing learning with colleagues, strengthening inclusive practice and improving the accessibility of their youth work settings.
Delivered three EDI Community of Practice sessions to 81 participants, covering:
• Supporting neurodiverse young people
• Facilitating challenging conversations
• Mental health support for diverse young people
Evaluation findings showed 92% felt the learning helped them in their role and 78% felt more connected to peers.

"I've been in youth work for so long now that I often think I've heard everything there is to hear about mental health, but both of these gave new perspectives and were a really valuable use of my time."
Participant feedback

Resources and Sector Support

Developed a new Hate Crime resource with Education Scotland and Scottish Government to support the professional learning of youth workers and education practitioners.
Written and published an online Equality, Diversity and Inclusion module as part of the National Youth Work Induction Checklist training.

Communications and Engagement

Facebook page saw a 28.3% increase in page visits.
The website maintained steady use, and 80% of X posts came from partners, helping raise awareness of their work and reach youth work practitioners across Scotland.

Action on Sectarianism (AoS)

Training and Practitioner Support

Delivered four online Tackling Sectarianism CPD sessions to 46 practitioners, increasing understanding of sectarianism and equipping youth workers with practical tools to address the issue.

Feedback highlighted the value of the resources shared:
“Vital resources that will help to educate YP on the topic.”

Practitioners also noted the wider relevance of the resources, including how they could support work on race and identity.

Partnership Working

Held four partner meetings, including one in-person event, to share learning, strengthen collaboration and support ongoing project delivery.

Digital Reach and Community Contact

Resources on the AoS website received 21,250 views, consistent with previous years.
Facebook and Instagram content reached over 500,000 views.
The website saw a 49% increase in users (7,221) and a 44% increase in sessions (8,327).
There was a notable rise in direct enquiries from community members seeking support with incidents of sectarian behaviour or requesting volunteering opportunities. This demonstrated that AoS is now seen as a trusted and accessible source of guidance.

United Voices

Strengthening Black-Led Youth Work in Scotland

The network now has 42 member organisations, all Black-led and working with young people across Scotland.

Members shared the value of the network:

“United Voices supports GAMSCA Youth by providing them with networking opportunities, resources, and advocacy support… It helps amplify the voice of GAMSCA Youth.”
Musa Conteh, GAMSCA

“The UV network has been a great support in promoting visibility and supporting the mental health of young people.”
Helene Rodger, Passion4Fusion

Activity and Engagement

Held four network meetings.
Delivered two mental health workshops for young people.
Provided 40 one-to-one support sessions for member organisations.
Supported young people to speak directly with senior officials, including a 2024 event with Minister for Victims and Community Safety Siobhian Brown MSP.

Wider Impact

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What This Means for Scotland

Across AoP, AoS and United Voices, YouthLink Scotland has strengthened equality, inclusion and community cohesion within youth work and local communities. Practitioners are better equipped to recognise and respond to prejudice, discrimination, hate and identity-based harm.

This work also ensures that communities facing racism, sectarianism, disability barriers or other forms of prejudice can access trusted support and clear information. By supporting Black-led youth organisations and encouraging sector-wide learning, the programme is helping to create a more inclusive, confident and connected youth work sector across Scotland.