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Featured News & Events

National Youth Work Conference 2026

This year’s conference will bring together practitioners, academics, pioneering projects and policy leaders to explore the future of mental health and wellbeing support for young people. The call for workshops and articles is open until 17th July.

Better Lives Survey 2026

This new report draws on engagement with 2,922 young people across Scotland and provides valuable insight into how young people perceive violence, knife crime, safety, and prevention efforts in the current social climate.

Applications Open for £758,000 Youth Arts Open Fund

This fund aims to support freelance artists or organisations seeking small amounts of funding so that they can deliver arts activity for children and young people. The deadline for applications is 5pm on 21st July.

Building Ethical Partnerships with the Tech Sector

A new set of tools has been launched, designed to support youth work organisations to make ethical alliances with technology companies.

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AIPointr - A National Storytelling Competition

AIPointr collects stories from young adults across Scotland about how AI is shaping their lives, their communities and their futures. It’s a storytelling project by Proudly Black and Scottish, an initiative of The DataKirk, that puts young people at the centre of the AI conversation - those whose futures are most shaped by the technology, and whose voices must be heard. The deadline for entries is 31st August.

Topic: Arts, Digital Youth Work
Date: 2 July, 2026

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Our Place Website

The Our Place website helps communities, organisations, local authorities and individuals who want to improve the places where people live, work and spend time. The site supports the Place Principle and brings together information, practical tools and resources in one place.

Topic: Rights, Participation & Volunteering
Date: 1 July, 2026

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Help Shape Life in Scotland for LGBTQ+ Young People

LGBT Youth Scotland is undertaking research to find out what life in Scotland is like for LGBTQ+ young people, so that we can improve lives for our LGBTQ+ communities. Aimed at young people aged 13-25 who identify as LGBTQ+, and live in Scotland.

Topic: Equality, Research
Date: 1 July, 2026

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First Minister Highlights the Importance of Young People's Voices at Truth About Youth 2026 Launch

First Minister John Swinney opened the launch of Young Scot's Truth About Youth 2026 report with a special video message, recognising the importance of listening to young people and thanking the thousands who took part in this year's survey.

Topic: Research, Rights, Participation & Volunteering
Date: 30 June, 2026

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Children’s Powerful Films on Education Highlight Urgent Need for Change

Children and Young People's Commissioner Scotland has launched their new Storylines project – three short films made with and by children about their experiences of education. The films were made with three different groups of children who have found challenges in mainstream school. They explore their experiences creatively and share ideas and solutions on what would improve the education system.

Topic: Education, Skills & Employability, Rights, Participation & Volunteering
Date: 30 June, 2026

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New people. New places. New protection.

Following recent outbreaks of meningitis in the UK, the MenB vaccine is being offered to some older teenagers and students under 25 who are at higher risk of exposure to meningococcal group B bacteria. Public Health Scotland are looking for young people to take part in an upcoming campaign for a targeted MenB vaccine programme.

Topic: Health & Wellbeing
Date: 30 June, 2026

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Next Steps in Curriculum Improvement

The most significant reform of Scotland’s curriculum in more than ten years is underway, as the first early samples of new curriculum materials have been shared with councils across the country.

Topic: Education, Skills & Employability
Date: 30 June, 2026

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New Guidance for Phone-free Learning Before Law Change

Schools are being encouraged to restrict the use of mobile phones by following updated national guidance, published ahead of planned legislation to create phone-free learning environments. The guidance sets out how schools should work with the whole community to develop phone-free learning policies informed by children, young people, parents, carers and school staff

Topic: Digital Youth Work, Education, Skills & Employability
Date: 30 June, 2026

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"Don't Blame Life, Blame Your Face"

A new report from the Centre for Young Lives warns that the fast-growing online trend known as “looksmaxxing” is driving some boys and young men towards dangerous body image pressures, extreme behaviours, and misogynistic worldviews.

Topic: Positive Masculinity
Date: 30 June, 2026

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Understanding Eco-Distress and Communicating Climate-Related Uncertainty to Decision Makers

ClimateXChange invites you to tender for the provision of: “Understanding Eco-Distress & Communicating Climate-Related Uncertainty to Decision Makers." This requirement is divided into two lots: Lot 1: Understanding eco-distress in Scotland’s young people. Lot 2: Developing a practical framework for uncertainty analysis and communication. Submissions must be received by noon on Tuesday 28th July.

Topic: Learning for Sustainability, Research
Date: 30 June, 2026

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Help Test Youth Work Skills Track

YouthLink Scotland is recruiting up to 100 organisations to take part in the next phase of testing Youth Work Skills Track, a new digital tool developed around the National Youth Work Outcomes and Skills Framework. We are also seeking up to 10 organisations with established school partnerships to test the tool within youth work-school partnership settings. Testing will take place between September and December, with training and support provided throughout. Register your interest by 31st August.

Topic: Active Youth Work, Education, Skills & Employability
Date: 24 June, 2026

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Help Young People Have Their Say in The National Conversation

A major UK-wide listening exercise about community, belonging and how we can live well together — make sure young people’s voices are heard. The National Conversation: Next Generation asks children and young people aged 16 and under to share their views on what brings people together, what divides us, where they feel they belong, and what could make their communities stronger.

Topic: Research, Rights, Participation & Volunteering
Date: 23 June, 2026

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