Welcome to our new look! Read the story behind it.
Growing2gether Community
The ripple effect: self-belief to social leadership
When young people find their voice and come together, they don’t just build community, they become the force that transforms it.
Our Early Years Mentoring Programme graduates asked, so what’s next? And Growing2gether Youth Social Action was born, where they step forward and tackle real local issues in their communities.
This is healing turned into youth-led action. They consult with local residents, identify pressing issues, and co-design community projects with the support of adult mentors.
They create and deliver solutions – not just for themselves, but for the children and communities around them. It's the ripple effect of trust in motion.
Peer Leadership in Action
Our graduates can also
• Join the charity’s Youth Leadership Board which ensures our charity remains youth-led.
• Complete Young Leader Training, to help facilitate other Youth Social Action (YSA) groups.
In brief
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16-week programme, twice a year
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Peer-designed, peer-led, peer-elevated
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90+% report learning valuable life and work skills
The impact
Using before-and-after measurement, our participants reported
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Improved life and employability skills
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Improved aspirations and wellbeing
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Positive relationships and connectedness with the community.
How the Youth Social Action Programme works
We run two 16-week programmes each year, outside of classroom time.
Young people work together as creative Youth Social Action teams, to assess their community’s needs and identify an issue they care deeply about.
They plan, create a budget, reach out to third-sector partners and design a solution.
Each group has the support of two Growing2gether facilitators who are trauma-informed and trained in Transpersonal and Positive Psychology.
'Our teens don’t just grow. They become new leaders who are active, valued members of the communities they once felt disconnected from.'
Gavin Morgan, Co-CEO
Taking change into their communities!
Our Youth Social Action groups have designed and delivered an impressive range of projects in Scotland, reaching over 14,000 people in their communities. Topics range from tackling violence and bullying, homelessness, and self harm, to community improvement such as beautifying an underpass – a project that inspired our new branding!
Youth Power transforms Tain Underpass!
From 21st–24th July 2025, 37 young people in Tain joined a Youth Social Action project, transforming the once-drab underpass into a vibrant, welcoming space for the community!
Fundraising to Save the Clay Studio
The Inverness YSA group came together to support the fundraising initiative to Save The Clay Studio in Merkinch, Inverness
Why do we need a Community Centre?
Forres Community Centre is at risk of closing down so the Forres Group took action to create a survey and interview the community about the need for a Community Centre.
Tain Youth Social Action Group: Art Group
The Tain Group set up an Art Group which aimed to create an artwork based on the group’s personal experiences, highlighting how art has supported their wellbeing and helped reduce anxiety.
Get Involved
If you would like to explore having Growing2gether in your school, please get in touch!
aileen.mackay@growing2gether.org.uk
Community Programme & Partnerships Manager