This week (3-9 November) is Youth Work Week, an annual celebration of the impact of youth work on peoples lives. At Girlguiding Scotland we deliver universal youth work, providing all girls across Scotland with a space to grow in confidence and be themselves. Our 2 members of the Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP), Martha and Aine, recently presented a motion on universal youth work at SYP’s 83rd sitting. Read more about their amazing achievement and the impact of universal youth work below. 

In September, we were thrilled to present our motion on universal youth work to over 170 youth representatives from across Scotland at the Scottish Youth Parliament’s 83rd Sitting! Through Girlguiding Scotland members, parents, carers, and volunteers filling in our consultation survey, we were able to represent your views about youth work accessibility on a bigger platform to bring awareness to this important topic. We all know just how powerful youth work can be, from taking part in exciting residentials and reducing screen time, to helping young people build confidence and make lifelong friendships. That’s why it’s so important that Girlguiding and other youth organisations are open and accessible to young people from all backgrounds. We are pleased to say our motion passed at 94%! This is a huge step forward, and we’re now looking ahead to the next stage, which will include turning this success into real, tangible actions that make a difference for young people across Scotland.

Have a read though our motion speech below…

The Scottish Youth Parliament believes that universal youth work should be accessible and affordable to every young person in Scotland. We, as representatives for Girlguiding Scotland—the largest organisation in Scotland for girls and young women, and providers of universal youth work—know the importance of this.

Universal access to youth work and skills-based youth volunteering opportunities should be a universal right to all young people, no matter their social circumstances. We believe universal youth work provision, including uniformed youth organisations and charities, should be recognised and valued alongside targeted youth work provision.

We know that universal youth work opportunities develop personal and employability skills, support individual interests, and facilitates every young person, no matter their background or educational attainment, to reach their full potential. Universal youth work is accessible, cheap, and inclusive, and works alongside targeted youth work. We consulted our constituents about the impact Girlguiding Scotland has had on them a parent replied that ”Girlguiding has given my quiet daughter confidence in speaking to people, joining and working in groups, taking part in things like presenting in front of parents and sleepovers away from home (which is a big deal with her separation anxiety). She feels safe with her leaders & other girls in her meeting space and trusts them, which relieves my worries as a mum.”

Universal youth work supports the Scottish Government’s holistic approach to young people’s education and upholds the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). By passing this motion, we can take the necessary steps toward more equitable childhoods across Scotland.

With the cost-of-living crisis creating even more stress on family life, ‘nonessentials’ like youth work activities for young people are often discarded as another burden parents or carers struggle to afford, meaning that their children are missing out on what organisations have to offer. According to Girlguiding UK research, around 50% of girls aged 11-16 try not to ask their parents or carers for things, such as school trips and pocket money, because they’re worried about money. Young people, especially from low socio-economic backgrounds, often miss out on valuable experiences that boost confidence, foster social connections, and reduce excessive screen time. This last point was brought to us by a volunteer who said “Young people need to break away from the often inaccurate and unrealistic messages they find online. Talking to real people with real experiences are the most valuable lessons they can learn.”

We consulted our constituents, who agreed that youth work should be more accessible and that the cost-of-living crisis negatively impacts youth work, with one saying “I think that young people should be able to have the access to youth work to be able to share their ideas and opinions”.

The proposed Youth Work Bill, from Martin Whitfield, seeks to mandate universal access to youth work services for all young people aged 11–25, particularly for disadvantaged groups. Universal youth work is also vital in equipping young people with the confidence, skills, and resilience needed to contribute meaningfully to society.

By removing financial and systemic barriers, and by offering individual support to struggling families through establishing grants, we can ensure that every young person, regardless of background, has the opportunity to thrive, grow in confidence, and reach their full potential through universal youth work.

If you have any questions, ideas, or are interested in learning more and getting involved, feel free to email us at SYP@girlguiding-scot.org.uk. You can check out our profiles on the Scottish Youth Parliament website here. We’d love to hear from you, and this would be a great way to be part of positive change for Girlguiding Scotland and beyond. Let’s work together to make universal youth work easily accessible for all!

-Aine MSYP and Martha MSYP