Membership

Youth Scotland membership is represented throughout Scotland, supporting the delivery of local, community-based youth work.

A crowd of young people are gathered in a glass-ceiling auditorium. They are throwing balls of paper towards the camera.

Getting membership to Youth Scotland is quick, easy and affordable and comes with a great package of benefits to any youth group, old or new.

For as little as £55, your group could have:

  • Practical knowledge & resources
  • Training for workers and young people
  • Insurance
  • PVG & Child Protection
  • Employment law
  • Accreditation for Young People
  • Access to programmes

Practical knowledge & resources

We maintain an online bank of resources, guides and articles that offer practical information for youth workers and volunteers called Youth Work Essentials

Training for workers and young people

The Youth Scotland Network provides a programme of locally based and online training for youth workers, delivered through a range of partner agencies, area associations and a team of experienced trainers.

Many courses are free or subsidised for member groups. Youth Scotland also runs a variety of national training events. Youth Scotland members can access most of these courses at a discounted rate.

Insurance

We offer all members the opportunity to access an insurance scheme that is tailored to the needs of youth groups and a much more affordable rate. Detailed information is available in our Guide to Membership & Insurance, available at the bottom of this page.

PVG & child protection

Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) and Child Protection are an essential part of modern youth work. Youth Scotland provides advice and guidance on Child Protection issues and access to the PVG Scheme.

Employment law

Through our partnership with Law At Work (LAW), Youth Scotland can support our member groups with legal services

If your organisation employs staff, whether sessional, part-time or full-time, there are employment, Health & Safety and Human Resources requirements to consider. LAW can help youth groups/organisations, especially those in the voluntary sector, keep up to date with regulations and to be sure that you have the right procedures in place.

Accrediting young people’s achievements

Youth Scotland offers three exciting awards for young people; Hi5 Awards, Dynamic Youth Awards (DYA) and Youth Achievement Awards (YAA).

All awards are credit rated and levelled on the Scottish Credit and Qualifications framework (SCQF), which means that they can be compared to more formal qualifications such as those gained at school or college.

Our awards help recognise wider achievement, fit the Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) agenda and are often based on the activities you are already delivering.

Access to programmes

Youth Scotland delivers a range of projects and programmes supporting and recognising young people’s development and supporting those working with young people. Check out our programmes page for more information on our current programmes.

Find out how your group can join today.

Join now

Guide to Membership and Insurance: 2022-23

Download our guide to Youth Scotland membership and Towergate Insurance below. This is for members who took insurance before 1 September 2023.

Membership & Insurance (Towergate)
PDF, 562 KB
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Guide to Membership and Insurance: from 1 September 2023

Download our guide to Youth Scotland membership and Keegan & Pennykid Insurance below. This is for members who took insurance on/after 1 September 2023.

Membership & Insurance (Keegan & Pennykid)
PDF, 491 KB
Download

[Youth Scotland] brought much needed support, guidance and knowledge to a group of young people who are either waiting for mental health input or not eligible for mental health services for various reasons e.g. addiction. It also upskilled youth workers and parents who are two groups of people who are often left supporting young people when services are unavailable.

Member group