Included
We want all children and young people to feel INCLUDED in their communities.
Young people have told us:
- "Through youth work I now feel kinder. We have planned fundraisers and the skills I have built here have benefited the community. I have used them in other groups through teaching and mentoring younger people."
- "Volunteering at youth club helps me feel included."
- "To feel included we need options for us, as young people, this could be more mental health support or help to find work or more free places to go. We want the same opportunities as other people get."
Case Study: Growing and Changing use their voices and experiences to create change
Growing and Changing is a group of five young people from Prestonpans who’ve faced challenges like poverty, bereavement and additional support needs. These experiences led to feeling excluded at school and in their community. Over the past year, they’ve built a strong peer support group and launched a campaign called 'What Makes a Supportive Person' to improve how adults engage with young people facing hardship.
They’ve gathered views from over 250 children and young people across East Lothian, hosted events, and met with NHS staff, school staff, councillors, and decision-makers. Their work is already influencing council job descriptions and youth worker training.