Please support the proposed Youth Work (Scotland) Bill , here is how

A happy and guid new year to everyone.

I want to start our first blog of the new  year by emphasising the importance of youth work  and the positive  contributions it makes to both young people and the wider community. I have spent the last year writing Blogs that highlight  the successes of our Youth Action Projects and activities and the benefits to both the young people and the community. At every opportunity I have flagged up and reiterated that our Youth Action approach is underpinned by the dual benefits it affords to young people and the wider community.  In this respect I want to encourage as many people as possible to contribute to the consultation that is currently taking place in relation to  the proposed Youth Work (Scotland) Bill. This is a Private Members Bill, and it will therefore require after the consultation process is completed, the support of at least 18 cross Party MSPS’s, after which the  proposals will move through the 3-stage scrutiny process before eventually coming before our parliament, to hopefully be confirmed as a new Act. The deadline to respond to the consultation is 31st March 2025:  Here is the link to the draft Bill and the consultation:   https://www.parliament.scot/bills-and-laws/proposals-for-bills/proposed-youth-work-scotland-bill

The Safer Communities Youth Action Project is concerned and completely focussed upon achieving these key outcomes:

• Young People will have better connections with the wider community
• Young people will improve their mental and physical health and wellbeing
• Young people will have increased opportunities to take part in activities that address community safety and reduces their risk taking.
• Young people will increase their social skills, confidence to learn and levels of attainment.
• Young people will grow as active citizens, expressing their voice and enabling change.

I am advocating that the adoption of this Bill into Scots law will provide a legal basis and a mandatory commitment for our services, agencies, community organisations and governments to ensure these key outcomes and similar aspirations are delivered universally throughout  Scotland. I am being overtly political and requesting your support for this Bill through responding to the consultation, and here are some of the reasons I believe this is a good idea for both our young people and our communities:  

The Key Objectives of the proposed Bill would include:

1. Universal Access: Mandating youth work services to be available to all young people aged 11–25, with particular focus on targeted support for disadvantaged groups.  

2. Equity and Fairness: Breaking down systemic barriers to ensure youth work is inclusive and accessible, regardless of geography or background. 

3. Sustainability: Establishing a dedicated Youth Work Fund to ensure consistent, high-quality service delivery across Scotland.  

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 will be required to:

• 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

The alignment between our own key outcomes and the above proposed strategies are both consistent and complimentary.  

The consultation asks questions around a number of themes relating to the Bill, firstly it asks the reasons why we believe legislation is required, SCYAP responded:

There is a need for Youth work to be a statutory service and to have professional parity with other educational and social work provisions, and this is required consistently throughout Scotland. It will ensure that the voices and contributions of young people have a statutory footing, especially in terms of how future services are resourced, planned, provided and delivered. Youth Empowerment will in effect be embedded in law and statute. 

Secondly the cost and financial  impacts upon other public services and  businesses of making  Youth work a legal right for every young  Scot with its own ring-fenced mandatory budget  is questioned, SCYAP highlighted the following:

 Making strategic and sustained investments in youth work and ensuring that young people’s services are delivered collaboratively and in partnership will make significant savings to other public sector budgets, including Health, Criminal justice and education. The contributions of young people will have significant financial benefits to the wider community and most importantly much of this will be social capital through improved community cohesion and active citizenship.

How would this proposed Bill relate to and impact upon equalities, SCYAP Stated:

This Bill would require to be inclusive and remove barriers to involvement whether they are by age, gender, poverty, race, geography, sexual orientation and so on. The Law would by necessity have to mitigate exclusion and ensure that all sectors of the youth population were able to access appropriate services and opportunities equitably and on their own terms. 

A new law can impact on work to protect and enhance the environment, achieve a sustainable economy, and create a strong, healthy, and just society for future generations, How should this Bill relate to sustainability and protecting the environment, SCYAP highlighted

Undoubtedly there will be an impact upon the environment and the aim of improved sustainability, this Bill will need to give cognizance to Scotland’s journey to Net Zero whilst also aiming to create a tolerant, inclusive and equitable society. Youth work needs to champion these values and aspirations, and this Bill must be an enabler of these conditions and standards. The Bill should be concerned with promoting young people’s involvement with the outdoors, of its therapeutic values and our responsibility to conserve and facilitate environmental improvements. Climate action should be a central facet of all community-based youth activities, and this should be aligned to a strategic climate action commitment

 Any finally , SCYAP offered a summary statement of support:

This is a unique opportunity to enshrine youth empowerment and youth action in Scottish statute and it should be progressed. Scotland can be greatly improved nation through active engagement with young people and by communities taking greater ownership of their own development. This Bill must embrace those values through a national strategic commitment to youth work and youth action. Funding should be ring fenced and protected for this to happen; however, it should be devolved to local decision making as much as possible and avoid a recentralization of control by Local authorities. The third sector can play a crucial role, and funding needs to be sensitive to local dynamics and opportunities which can include young people making significant budgetary decisions.

Finally, a reminder that our Twilight Sport programme continues throughout  January and into February and won’t be interrupted by the installation of the Tamfourhill Community  Hubs new low carbon energy and heating  system and upgraded with new toilets. The full programme is below:

In next month’s blog I hope to be able to introduce 2 new community development  projects for Camelon and a review of recent groupwork with local young people.