The Awards Network has an article featured in the Autumn 2024 edition of ‘The Link’ a magazine published by YouthLink Scotland.
The article highlights that youth awards offer vibrant and varied opportunities to expand and stretch the experiences young people need for modern life, work and leisure. There are well-documented struggles with school attendance and a growing sense that young people feel disenfranchised from traditional education models. The article reminds us that most young people share the joy of learning, and care deeply about the world they live in. What hampers progress is that they don't always feel happy at school and are less inclined to believe they have a choice over what they learn when they are there.
Many schools and community-based youth providers are catching on to utilising youth awards to fulfill young people's rights to an education which nurtures their talents and taps into their intrinsic motivations (UNCRC Article 29). Evidence shows that awards are working, with over 133 thousand awards distributed in 2023/24. Young people can choose from over 70 youth awards available in Scotland [search here] and decide the level of challenge which is right for them. There are informal recognition schemes as well as SCQF accredited options which give the learning parity of esteem with national qualifications.
