Youth Scotland's Awards: Progress With Purpose

A year of change and innovation has made our awards easier to access, more inclusive and as impactful as ever.

5 young people sit around a table and raise their hands while youth awards can be seen laying on the table
9,723
youth awards accredited
1,026
participants trained
12%
yearly growth

Celebrating young people, empowering futures

Every day, across Scotland, young people are achieving remarkable things. And this year, more than ever, they’ve had the recognition they deserve. We want to look back on 2024-25 and capture the milestones and stories that shaped a standout year all driven by one shared goal: recognising the achievements of young people.

In 2024-25, Youth Scotland awards took bold steps forward to expand access, deepen impact and celebrate the learning journeys of thousands of young people across Scotland. Our network of youth workers, schools, local authorities and community organisations has been instrumental in making this happen.

With a focus on innovation, accessibility and sustainability, we launched new systems, refreshed our resources and introduced new tools, including a digital platform, an e-learning module and redesigned awards booklets.

2024-25 top highlights

  • 9,723 awards completed – a 12% increase from 2023–24
  • Redesign of the Youth Achievement Awards with new booklets and clearer guidelines
  • Full transition to Awards Force – our digital platform for streamlined submissions
  • Gaelic Dynamic Youth Award launched in partnership with Comunn na Gàidhlig
  • 1,026 practitioners trained – a 41% rise from last year
  • E-learning module launched for flexible Level 1 Hi5 and Dynamic Youth Award training
  • 30+ online sessions held to support changes and engage practitioners
  • Updated Guidelines- to support the delivery of Youth Scotland Awards
  • Worked Awards Samples for each Youth Scotland Awards Booklet to demonstrate best practice for completion and submission

Each certificate represented more than just participation, it meant confidence, self-belief, and a sense that what they do matters.

The Youth Scotland youth awards have made a huge difference to our young people. They’re gaining confidence, skills and recognised qualification.

Youth worker, local authority hub

Awards training

Youth worker and teacher development is at the core of our impact. In 2024–25 we:

  • Trained over 1,000 practitioners
  • Ran over 30 online info sessions and drop-ins
  • Launched our first e-learning module for Level 1 Hi5 and Dynamic Youth Award training
  • Provided tailored support sessions for local authorities, schools and groups
  • Updated our training resources and options (moved to Level 1 Hi5 and Dynamic Youth Award Training and Level 2 Youth Achievement Award Training and then IV Internal Verifier training as a pathway)
  • Designed new branded training materials and guidelines, and sample award booklets for best practice

E-learning module

I thought the trainer, Julie, was excellent in every way. It was a joy and a pleasure to take part in the training and I look forward to using what I have earned with young people or people or any age in the near future

Training attendee

Investing in the Future

Behind the scenes, we were working hard to strengthen the programme’s foundations:

  • We redesigned training materials and launched a new e-learning module, piloted with Sistema Scotland and now ready for widespread use.
  • We developed editable Word versions of our Dynamic Youth award booklet, making it even more accessible for young people with additional support needs.
  • We built space within Awards Force for case study submissions, offering schools and groups an easy way to share stories and impact.
  • And we listened—to feedback, to funders, to frontline youth workers—and used it to guide our decisions, including making our resources easier to find and understand.

We also made sure our awards continued to align with national priorities. From Insight tariff points to DYW employability pathways, local authority staff could be confident our awards were more than an add-on—they are part of the bigger picture. To align Youth Scotland awards with national priorities of skill development and recognition we have changed our impact statements in our Dynamic Youth and Youth Achievement Awards to better align with the new Youth work skills and outcomes.

These behind-the-scenes investments ensure the Youth Scotland Awards remain relevant and accessible today and ready to meet the needs of young people, educators, and community youth workers.

Browse the updates awards guidelines

Before this, I didn’t think I was good at anything. Now I know I can finish something, and I can be proud of it.”

Young Person

Connection, collaboration, community

This wasn’t just a year of digital transformation—it was a year of deepening relationships. From the Highlands to the Borders, our team met with practitioners, young people, and local authorities to listen, support, and respond.

We launched the Gaelic Dynamic Youth Award at James Gillespie’s High School—developed in partnership with Comunn na Gàidhlig. We visited schools and youth groups like Craiglockart Primary School, Kirkland Park, Kythe, FUSE and Lanark Universal Connections, capturing their voices and stories. We hosted online information sessions and open drop-ins, where questions were answered and ideas shared.

Read more on the launch of the Gaelic DYA

Youth Scotland is also a proud founding member and host of the Awards Network

The Awards Network brings together youth award providers from across Scotland, to recognise the amazing things that young people learn, do and achieve in Scotland.

Read about the impact of the Awards Network

Pupils from James Gillespie's High School smile and jump up while clutching copies of the new Gaelic DYA

Find out more about Awards

Youth Scotland offers a range of credit-rated awards that can act as a framework to record and recognise young people’s achievements.

Youth Scotland Awards