We Need Your Voice – Make Youth Work A Right

Venture Scotland
27 January 2025

Scottish Labour MSP Martin Whitfield has launched a public consultation on the Youth Work (Scotland) Bill. The proposed Youth Work (Scotland) Bill aims to establish a legal right for young people aged 11 to 25 across Scotland to access high-quality youth work services.

This is a critical moment to make youth work a statutory right—and we need your voice!

Deadline: February 21, 2025

How to Respond:

Following YouthLink guidance, we have pre-filled in the consultation, all you need to do is:

Download the consultation Word document
Fill in questions 1-5 with your details and add or amend any comments
Email it to martin.whitfield.msp@parliament.scot

Together, we can ensure every young person in Scotland has access to the opportunities they deserve. Take action today and make a difference!

Key Points of the Bill

The Bill mandates that local authorities develop comprehensive Youth Work Strategies that align with a National Youth Work Strategy and address the specific needs of their communities. These strategies must:

Reflect the voices of young people, involving them directly in shaping services.
Respect young people’s rights under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) by ensuring their right to participate, develop, and access support.
Integrate youth work with broader community services, including education, health, and social care, for a holistic approach.
Establish sustainable funding models to maintain resilient and adaptable youth work services.

Establishing a Legal Obligation

The statutory basis for youth work currently sits within the Community Learning and Development (CLD) Regulations (2013), created under s.2 of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 – placing a legal requirement on local authorities (through the education authority) to secure the delivery of CLD. However, it does not provide a legal right to deliver youth work services, nor is it strong enough to stop cuts to youth work provision. The Bill seeks to address this gap by obligating local authorities to ensure that youth work services are available in their area.

Creation of a Dedicated Youth Work

The Bill proposes the establishment of Funda Youth Work Fund, which will provide

sustainable, long-term funding for youth work services. This fund aims to reduce the financial instability that has impacted voluntary and local authority-led youth work, which often relies on short-term grants and faces budget constraints. With this fund, youth work providers will be better equipped to deliver continuous, high-quality services to young people across Scotland.

Collaboration and Holistic Support

The Bill emphasises the importance of collaboration between local authorities, voluntary sector youth work providers, and other vital services to support young people. By creating strong and lasting partnerships across various sectors, the Bill aims to address the needs of young people more effectively and cost-efficiently, creating a unified, cross-sectoral approach to youth support.

Accessibility and Equity

A core objective of the Bill is to remove barriers to access, particularly for under-represented communities, ensuring that all young people can engage with youth work services. This includes supporting informal education in diverse settings, such as community centres and schools, contributing to young people’s social, emotional, and educational development.

Strengthening Communities

Beyond individual benefits, the Bill highlights the role of youth work in strengthening communities by promoting social inclusion, mental wellbeing, and civic engagement. By investing in youth work, the Bill envisions a future where Scottish communities are resilient and inclusive, with young people actively contributing to and shaping their local environments.

Summary

The Youth Work (Scotland) Bill aims to recognise youth work as a vital service for young people and communities across Scotland. By ensuring robust support and legal backing for youth work, the Bill seeks to empower young people, create a level playing field, and build stronger, more resilient communities for the future.