Could you or someone you know, help us create guidance to support the youth work sector to build positive, ethical, values-led relationships with digital technology companies?
This fellowship offers a unique opportunity to support the youth work sector in Scotland to explore how it can build ethical, values-led partnerships with digital technology companies. In a challenging funding environment, there is growing interest in working with new sectors — including the tech industry — to attract investment and widen opportunities for young people. At the same time, youth work organisations are mindful of the need to protect their core values, particularly in relation to young people’s rights, inclusion, and wellbeing. The purpose of the fellowship is to understand where there is genuine alignment between youth work and the tech sector, identify opportunities for ethical collaboration, and develop practical guidance that helps youth work organisations assess and navigate potential partnerships with confidence and integrity.
YouthLink Scotland is the national agency for youth work. We are a membership organisation representing over 100 youth work bodies, including all 32 local authorities and a wide range of voluntary and community-based organisations. Our role is to support, represent and champion youth work, and to lead innovation and investment in the sector. We believe that youth work changes lives, especially for young people who face disadvantage, discrimination, or a lack of access to opportunities. Our work supports youth work organisations to be well-resourced, high-quality, and values-driven — and to create safe, inclusive spaces where all young people can thrive. The fellowship is part of our wider work to explore new models of sustainable investment in the sector and to ensure that any emerging partnerships uphold the rights and wellbeing of young people in Scotland.
The fellowship is funded by INCLUDE+, a network exploring how social and digital environments can be built, shaped and sustained to enable all people to thrive. The five-year programme of activities (2022-2027) will build a knowledge community around in/equalities in digital society that will comprise industry, academia, the public and third sectors in response to the UKRI Equitable Digital Society theme.
Fellowships – INCLUDE+
YouthLink Scotland has worked with Include+ on digital inclusion projects: Our futures and AI – INCLUDE+ and Digital Game Design and Youth Work.