Sponsored by Planet Youth in Scotland
Routes is a youth support and participation project for 12-to-26-year-olds affected by alcohol and drug use in their families. With a powerful ethos of co-development, Routes empowers young people to shape every aspect of the service — from deciding on activities and designing spaces, to training staff and building national projects.
Many of the young people Routes supports have never been given a voice. Over 75% are care-experienced, often navigating difficult decisions about their own lives through panel hearings and social work systems. Routes doesn’t just support them — it gives them space to lead. Young people choose how they want to advocate for themselves, and staff walk beside them, not in front.
The project name Routes was chosen by young people themselves — recognising both their roots and the new routes they are free to forge. Every activity is based on young people’s choices, from birthday dirt biking to passionfruit tastings. When new premises opened in East and West Dunbartonshire, young people chose the layout, painted the walls, and made the space their own.
Beyond day-to-day activities, young people at Routes have co-designed Grow Your Own Routes — a Scottish Government-funded programme now supporting six youth-led projects across Scotland. Routes members helped interview partner services, trained staff, and continue to shape national delivery. One young person said:
“We need to make sure they’re the right people for the job or it won’t work.”
Participation here isn’t tokenistic. It’s embedded. Young people are paid for their time, involved in decisions, and encouraged to speak up, even when they feel nervous. As one young person put it:
“I was shitting myself when I walked in… but I stayed and spoke – I think they were really listening to what we were saying.”
The impact is clear. Young people say Routes gives them the confidence to speak at panels, helps them feel special and listened to, and has changed their lives for the better. For some, it’s the first time anyone has ever asked what they want.
Routes is now being replicated across Scotland — proof that when young people are genuinely heard, not only do they thrive, but they help others to thrive too.
Shetland Youth Voice is enabling young people across the isles to lead change in their communities. Re-established in 2024 after a break, the project provides a dynamic platform for young people aged 12-to-25 to have their voices heard and their ideas taken seriously. With a leadership team, an executive of 17, and a general membership of 54, it brings together young representatives from across Shetland’s senior schools and voluntary organisations.
In just a few short months, Shetland Youth Voice has made a major impact. They’ve hosted a youth-led Transport and Connectivity Summit aboard the MV Hjaltland, with national stakeholders including Transport Scotland in attendance. They’ve also influenced the Shetland Islands Council’s new Corporate Plan through direct engagement with the Chief Executive.
This renewed forum is already changing how young people interact with decision-makers—on equal footing. They’ve formed partnerships with the private sector, including NorthLink Ferries and Ocean Kinetics, and continue to advocate for solutions to the issues young people care about, such as transport, access to events, mental wellbeing, and youth spaces.
The group’s work is gaining recognition at every level, from elected members to directors of services, and they are already planning their next youth summit on employment. Young people are at the heart of it all, shaping agendas, speaking out with confidence, and building a stronger, more inclusive future for Shetland.
Future Change is a youth-led social action movement changing life from the inside out at HMPYOI Polmont — led by young people in custody who are using their voice, experience and leadership to transform systems that once excluded them.
Born from Activate, a University of Glasgow introduction to Community Learning and Development delivered inside Polmont, Future Change is the first initiative of its kind in a young offenders institution. With over 45 graduates from three Activate cohorts, the group formed to continue their learning, and to make real change in their community: the prison itself.
With support from the Children and Young People’s Centre for Justice, Future Change has secured over £50,000 in funding, organised Christmas hampers for all young people in Polmont, and now leads two participatory budgeting projects, one inside the prison and one for external charities. They have taken ownership of decision-making, collaborating directly with senior Scottish Prison Service staff to influence policy and daily life. Their efforts have improved relationships across the prison and sparked further opportunities, from mural projects to increased autonomy and trust.
Future Change members are now reaching out beyond Polmont, acting as advisors to CYCJ, contributing to national research and consultations, and building connections with third sector organisations to shape positive perceptions of young people in custody. Despite limitations like no internet or phones, they are forging relationships, funding change, and proving that participation doesn’t stop at the prison gate.
Young people involved say this is the first time they’ve felt truly heard, respected and empowered. Mental health, confidence and hope have improved. Future Change shows what’s possible when young people most affected by injustice lead the solutions — and when a prison becomes a place for participation, not just punishment.