Young and Equally Safe (YES) focuses on preventing gender-based violence before it takes hold.
Led by Renfrewshire Council Youth Services, the programme works with young people across schools and communities to challenge harmful attitudes around relationships, consent and masculinity.
Young people lead campaigns, design workshops and organise events such as Reclaim the Night marches to raise awareness of gender-based violence. The programme has also reached over 2,000 primary school pupils through community safety workshops.
By equipping young people to challenge harmful behaviour among their peers, YES is helping shift attitudes and create safer communities.
Switching Play works with young people who are on the edge of exclusion from school and at risk of disengagement from education.
Delivered by Big Hearts Community Trust, the programme provides an eight-week alternative curriculum for young people aged 13-to–16, focusing on wellbeing, confidence and positive relationships.
Through group work, mentoring and physical activity, young people develop coping strategies, rebuild trust with adults and reconnect with learning. Schools report improvements in attendance, behaviour and engagement among participants.
For many, it is the first step away from isolation and towards positive pathways in education, volunteering and employment.
Hate crime prevention was the starting point for a group of young volunteers in Stirling who wanted to challenge prejudice in their community.
Their response was A Bird’s Eye View on Hate Crime, a youth-led animation campaign exploring where hate comes from and how people can respond safely.
Using birds as a metaphor for diversity, the animation encourages people to report hate incidents, support victims and challenge harmful behaviour. The project has already been shared with Police Scotland, equality organisations and community leaders and is now being developed into an educational resource for schools across Scotland.
For the young people involved, creating the campaign turned difficult conversations into collective action.
Be part of an unforgettable evening of celebration, glamour, and inspiration at the DoubleTree by Hilton Glasgow on Wednesday 3rd June 2026. This year’s Awards Dinner will be an inspiring gathering of Scotland’s youth work champions, a night filled with stories of dedication, resilience, and positive change.