YouthLink Scotland’s Youth Work and Schools Partnership programme, one of the Scottish Attainment Challenge national programmes, works closely with Scottish Government and other SAC partners to promote and develop the role of youth work in closing the poverty related attainment gap.  We do this by sharing good practice, supporting practice development and helping to gather evidence of the impact of youth work on attainment.

Launched in September 2020, the Youth Work Education Recovery Fund provided more than 49,000 hours of activity for almost 18,000 young people across Scotland.

The Fund was targeted at communities and young people who needed the most support to offset the damage of Covid-19, and brought Government spending in the youth work sector in 2020 over the £12.5 million mark.

A total of 64 awards were made to organisations across Scotland working with young people impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, providing invaluable opportunities for young people to engage with youth work activities that would build their confidence and skills; support their health and well-being; and that address the poverty-related attainment gap.