Current status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 13 March 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of youth work on improving (a) mental health, (b) physical health and (c) wellbeing, and how it supports programmes that focus on promoting such work.
The Scottish Government recognises the valuable support provided to young people through high quality youth work. This work contributes to the Scottish Government’s priority of eradicating child poverty and tackling inequality.
Youth work falls within the scope of Community Learning and Development (CLD). The Requirements for Community Learning and Development (Scotland) Regulations 2013 require local authorities to plan and arrange the provision of CLD. In line with the Verity House Agreement, local authorities have the autonomy to deliver services to meet the needs of young people in their areas.
The Scottish Government published guidance to assist education authorities in producing their 3 year plan for CLD, as required by the 2013 Regulations. The guidance can be accessed at: www.gov.scot/publications/community-learning-development-guidance-2024-2027/documents/.
Current CLD plans, covering the period 2024-2027, can be found on Education Scotland’s website at: education.gov.scot/learning-in-scotland/education-sectors/community-learning-and-development-cld/local-authority-community-learning-and-development-plans/. As the 2013 Regulations place the duties on education authorities and the 3 year plans are published, the Scottish Government does not collate information on youth work programmes centrally.
I commissioned an independent review of CLD in December 2023. The Scottish Government welcomed the Learning: For All. For Life. report published in July 2024, which made 20 recommendations varying in complexity and scope. The report can be accessed at: www.gov.scot/publications/learning-life-report-independent-review-community-learning-development-cld/documents/.
The Scottish Government and CoSLA accepted recommendation 1.1 to set up a joint CLD Strategic Leadership Group. The Group will consider the remaining 19 recommendations of the report, including those relating to youth work.