The Scottish Greens’ 2026 manifesto includes direct proposals on youth work, including improving access, delivering a new National Youth Work Strategy, and integrating youth work more closely with education and mental health support. It also positions youth work as part of a preventative approach to justice. Alongside this, wider proposals on education reform, tackling poverty and expanding access to services align with the contribution youth work makes to supporting young people and communities
The Scottish Greens have published their 2026 manifesto, setting out their proposals across climate, public services and communities.
The manifesto includes direct reference to youth work, recognising its role in supporting young people and contributing to wider preventative approaches.
In the Schools and Young People section, the manifesto states that the Scottish Greens would:
These proposals reflect the role youth work plays in informal learning, early support and helping young people to navigate challenges.
Youth work also features in the party’s approach to justice. The manifesto states:
“The Scottish Greens will place prevention, de-escalation, youth work, and trauma-informed practice at the heart of our approach to justice.”
This sits alongside a wider focus on community justice, addressing trauma and reducing reliance on custody.
Wider alignment with national priorities
There are also a number of wider proposals in the manifesto that relate to young people and connect with the outcomes youth work supports.
The Scottish Greens set out plans to reform education, including a greater emphasis on play, wellbeing and creativity in early years, alongside a broader shift away from exam-focused learning.
There is also a strong focus on tackling poverty and inequality, including measures to increase financial support for families and reduce barriers faced by young people from lower-income backgrounds.
Proposals to expand free public transport and improve access to services aim to support participation, helping young people access education, employment and opportunities in their communities. As highlighted in the manifesto, free bus travel for young people has already enabled millions of journeys across Scotland .
Across the document, there is a consistent emphasis on wellbeing, inclusion and community-based support, including investment in mental health services and local provision.
Youth work contributes across these areas through relationships, informal learning and community-based support.
Scope to go further
The manifesto sets a clear direction on prevention, wellbeing and community-based support. The next step is to show how youth work will be part of delivering this in practice.
That includes setting out how a new National Youth Work Strategy would be developed with the sector, how provision will be sustained and strengthened locally, and how young people across Scotland will be able to access youth work in a consistent way.
These are familiar priorities for the sector, and there is an opportunity to build on the proposals in the manifesto and give greater clarity on how youth work will be supported in the years ahead.