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Our networks bring the youth work sector together

YouthLink Scotland facilitate and support a number of youth work sector networks. These networks provide opportunities for youth work practitioners, managers and other stakeholders to explore and learn from the latest ideas, information and practice, ensuring young people in Scotland continue to access the best quality youth work opportunities. They also provide a platform for the youth work sector to collaborate and influence key decision makers.

Membership Options Become A YouthLink Member
Members Network
Connect with the brightest minds from across the youth work sector by joining our Members Network. Meetings include member presentations, practice and information sharing, youth work promotion, and keynote speakers on current issues for the sector. 

Local Authority Youth Work Managers
Our Local Authority Youth Work Managers network provides the opportunity for managers to discuss issues affecting local authority membership, and to work together to resolve issues at local and national levels.
National Voluntary Youthwork Organisations Scotland
This network allows national voluntary youth work organisation CEOs to meet on a regular basis.
Policy Planning Group
The policy planning group facilitates networking and collaboration among key stakeholders and creates policy recommendations.

Communications and PR
This is our network for communications and digital professionals from member and partner organisations.
Digital Youth Network
A network for practitioners who use digital tools and online spaces in their work with young people.
Equalities, Diversity & Inclusion Community of Practice
To promote equality and diversity in the youth work sector by informing policy and practice and supporting the implementation of inclusive youth work to encourage an inclusive and representative sector that is accessible to all young people.
Youth Work Health & Wellbeing Network
The network brings together youth workers and other stakeholders together to learn about emerging areas of practice in relation to the physical and mental health and wellbeing of young people.
United Voices Network
To promote and influence anti-racist youth work practice in the youth work sector. To share practice and learning in supporting young people facing racism and antisemitism and to create a support network for youth workers engaging in this work.  
NKBL Community of Practice
We bring together violence prevention practitioners and partners from across Scotland in our community of practice.
Outdoor Learning Network
The Outdoor Learning 3rd Group is a YouthLink Scotland network of Third Sector charities and social enterprises working with thousands of young people every year through the provision of outdoor learning opportunities to inspire and empower them to develop the qualities, skills and attributes they will need in their futures.
Scottish Youth Work Leaders Forum
To represent the interests and aspirations of the youth work sector and champion the value of youth work, working alongside national partners to develop youth work policy and challenge government at national and local levels to invest in youth work.
Youth Work Training Forum
YouthLink Scotland's Youth Work Training Forum is a national network focusing on the strategic development of workforce and training for the youth work sector. It is also a space to share practice, identify sector priorities and address common challenges.
National Youth Work & Schools Collaborative 
The Collaborative provides opportunities for discussion and response to policy and practice issues relating to youth work’s role in education.

Scottish Youth Work Research Steering Group
The Scottish Youth Work Research Steering Group (SYWRSG) works to further the interests and needs of research in the youth work sector in Scotland.  This group has emerged to fulfil a need identified in the National Youth Work Strategy and to further momentum which was gathered through the publication of Universal Youth Work: A Critical Review of the Literature.