Current status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 13 March 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what support it provides to local authorities to ensure the delivery of youth work services and programmes, and how it works with them to (a) ensure that youth work is integrated into broader economic and social development strategies, (b) measure and report on the impact of youth work on young people’s economic wellbeing, (c) develop a coordinated national strategy for youth work that aligns with its broader priorities and ensures equitable service provision and (d) develop central support mechanisms to assist them in the effective deployment of programmes, and how these mechanisms are monitored.
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.
In Programme for Government, published in September 2024, Scottish Government committed to invest in community-based youth work focused on reaching young people outside the classroom and supporting access to education, training, and employment.
Each education authority is responsible for securing Community Learning and Development (CLD) in their area under the Community Learning and Development (Scotland) Regulations 2013.
In addition to the block grant given to local authorities, and in a challenging fiscal context, the Scottish Government has continued to fund Youth Scotland and YouthLink Scotland in 2024-25 in support of high quality youth work as part of CLD. Overall funding remains broadly consistent with previous years and reflects the priority that the Government attaches to support community-based youth work.