All posts by Olivia Wexelstein

£500 Grants for Creative 20-30 Year-olds – Imminent Deadline

Ideas Fund Innovators (23 to 30) provides assistance to projects that are inspiring, original, innovative and that can be delivered in all creative disciplines, undertaken by young people aged 23-30.

Twenty awards of £500 will be provided in the current round of the initiative.

Previously, everything from dance and film projects to music videos and photography collectives have been funded. Applications from all creative fields are considered.

Groups or individuals undertaking arts and creative projects will qualify for support. Those funded must be between the ages of 23 and 30 on 26 July 2013 and resident in the UK.

The next deadline for receipt of applications is 5 July 2013.

Click here for more information

I Knew A Man Called Livingstone: Edinburgh performances for schools

Storytelling theatre show, I Knew A Man Called Livingstone is on at the National Library of Scotland in August.
They’ll be performing at the Library during the Fringe (7-21 Aug, 4pm), and staying on for 5 special schools-only performances (suitable for upper primary and S1-3) on:

Monday 26th August (1.30pm)

Tuesday 27th August and Wednesday 28th August (10.30am and 1.30pm each day)

“A high quality production which was uplifting and enjoyable. Good fun and informative”. S2 English teacher

“A thoroughly entertaining hour, which brings a subtly different vision of Livingstone to life – and his times into a new focus.” Thom Dibdin

All tickets are at the special rate of £4, and can be booked direct with estherjblackburn@gmail.com. They’ll reserve seats for your chosen performance and can invoice your school. If you’d like to see the performance in advance, please get in touch and they can arrange a complimentary seat for you during their Fringe run.
The performances tie in with an excellent free exhibition on Livingstone at the National Library of Scotland – a real visual treat.

Youth 1st – Whats On July to October 2013

Listed below are details of events and training coming up over the next couple of months.

If you are interested in any of the events contact the office on 01592 611319 or emailadmin@youth1st.co.uk.

Places are limited on the workshops so book now to avoid disappointment.


Young Leaders (for young people 10 to 14 years old) – limited places available

Date:                     Various dates during July – 2 sessions over 2 weeks

Time:                    Various

Venue:                 Various

Cost:                      FREE for Youth 1st member groups.  £30 per person for all other groups.

Youth 1st are organising a number of Young Leaders courses during July.  The Young Leader Award is a programme of leadership training for young people between the ages of 10 and 14 that supports them working with younger children, teaching leadership skills through a whole range of games and activities.

The award responds to the individual needs of each organisation and its young leaders through a flexible, differentiated programme.  It focuses on specific skills such as instruction giving, organisation of people and equipment and the use of space.  Rather than breaking leadership down into its constituent parts, the Award teaches these topics through a practical, activity based, holistic approach.  In this way Young Leaders ‘learn by doing’ and by the end of the course will not only have the confidence and ability to lead others, but also have knowledge and experience of an extensive range of games and activities.

There are STILL PLACES AVAILABLE and is suitable for group bookings.  BOOK NOW to avoid disappointment.  Deadline for registrations is 15th July 2013.


Driving4Success (for young people 15+) – limited places available

Date:                     Various dates during August – 5 sessions over 5 weeks

Time:                    Various

Venue:                 Various

Cost:                      FREE for Youth 1st member groups.  £30 per person for all other groups.

Youth 1st are organising a Driving4Success course during August.  The course includes the following sessions:  First Steps, Road Safety, Emergency First Aid, Basic Maintenance and Driving Skills.  This is a pre-learner road safety programme for young people and is very popular.

There are STILL PLACES AVAILABLE on this workshop.  BOOK NOW to avoid disappointment.  Deadline for registrations is 15th July 2013.


Curriculum for Excellence Workshop (for youth workers and volunteers)

Date:                     10th September 2013

Time:                    6pm to 9pm

Venue:                 Youth 1st building, Glenrothes

Cost:                      FREE for Youth 1st member groups and voluntary youth organisations.  £15 per person for all others.

This training workshop introduces Curriculum for Excellence to learning providers, including youth workers, before having an in-depth look at the Experiences and Outcomes that all children and young people should achieve, regardless of the setting.  Participants will leave with a practical tool to support them to identify the Experiences and Outcomes most relevant to youth work.

There are STILL PLACES AVAILABLE on this workshop.  BOOK NOW to avoid disappointment.  Deadline for registrations is 3rd September 2013.


Arts & Crafts Workshop (for youth workers and volunteers)

Date:                     To be confirmed

Time:                    6pm to 9pm

Venue:                 Youth 1st building, Glenrothes

Cost:                      FREE for Youth 1st member groups and voluntary youth organisations.  £15 per person for all others.

This an informal, practical workshop for Youth Workers and Volunteers who would like programming ideas and information about Arts and Crafts resources and how to be creative.

There are STILL PLACES AVAILABLE on this workshop.  BOOK NOW to avoid disappointment.  Deadline for registrations is 31st August 2013.


Conflict Resolutions (for youth workers and volunteers)

Date:                     7th October 2013

Time:                    6pm to 9pm

Venue:                 Youth 1st building, Glenrothes

Cost:                      FREE Youth 1st member groups and voluntary youth organisations.  £15 per person for all others.

This interactive session will introduce participants to a variety of skills that will assist them to deal with conflict situations in a way that avoids the use of aggression.

The workshop will use discussion and role play to assist in developing effective listening skills, effective negotiation skills and effective assertiveness skills.

There are STILL PLACES AVAILABLE on this workshop.  BOOK NOW to avoid disappointment.  Deadline for registrations is 30th September 2013.


Internet Safety (for youth workers and volunteers)

Date:                     23rd October 2013

Time:                    6pm to 9pm

Venue:                 Youth 1st building, Glenrothes

Cost:                      FREE for Youth 1st member groups and voluntary youth organisations.  £30 per person for all others.

This informative workshop, delivered by trainers from Youth Scotland and hosted by Youth 1st, will explore how young people use the internet, social media and mobile technology  and what this means for you as a youth worker. It will take a practical look at the issues you need to be alert to as a youth worker and provide tips on how to keep yourself and young people safe.

There are STILL PLACES AVAILABLE on this workshop.  BOOK NOW to avoid disappointment.  Deadline for registrations is 14th October 2013.


Emergency First Aid (for youth workers and volunteers)

Date:                     28th October 2013

Time:                    5.30pm to 9.30pm

Venue:                 Youth 1st building, Glenrothes

Cost:                      £25 per person for Youth 1st member groups and voluntary youth organisations.  £45 per person for all others.

Youth 1st are organising an Emergency First Aid Course (4 hours) for Youth Workers, Volunteers and Young People (aged 15+).  Hosted by Youth 1st and delivered by qualified First Aid instructors from Thistle Medical, this session gives the first aider the confidence to deal with most emergency situations until the arrival of the emergency services.

There are STILL PLACES AVAILABLE on this workshop.  BOOK NOW to avoid disappointment.  Deadline for registrations is 30th September 2013.


Other Events coming up from November 2013

  • Driving4Success (we are taking registrations NOW!)
  • Introduction to Fundraising
  • Move It Essentials
  • Games Games Games
  • Emergency First
  • Child Protection
  • VYN Networking Events
  • Various Games, Sports and Arts sessions

Enter Royal Mail’s Christmas stamp design competition

Royal Mail is running an amazing national art competition for primary school pupils to design stamps for Christmas 2013.

Two lucky winners will see their designs on one of the 1st or one of the 2nd Class Christmas stamps from this year’s range.

The competition theme is ‘what does the Christmas season mean to you?’ and so the children can design an image that best describes what the festive holiday period means to them.  Competition entries must be received by 19 July 2013.

Click here to find out how to enter.

Michael Russell launches Learning with Devices blog

Education Scotland has been working with teachers and learners across Scotland to capture the developing narrative of how devices are being used to support learning and teaching. As more and more schools introduce the use of devices, including bring your own device (BYOD), it is important to ensure they have access to resources that can help inform the effective use of this technology to maximise impact on learning.

Yesterday, Michael Russell, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, launched the Learning with Devices site a blog which includes rich content drawn from the practice of schools who have kindly agreed to participate. Our partners XMA, who are delivering the National Framework for Devices for Education, have also contributed, and the site will continue to develop and grow over time.

To find out more, visit the Learning with Devices blog today.

Listening Project at the Edinburgh Festival

BBC Learning is coming to the Edinburgh Festival 2013, with The Listening Project, an ambitious new partnership between BBC Radio 4, BBC local and national radio stations and the British Library. The Project aims to capture the nation in conversation and is asking people to share an intimate conversation with a close friend or relative, to help to build a unique picture of our lives today. Some of these conversations will be broadcast across BBC radio and archived by the British Library, preserving them for future generations.

On Monday 19th August, groups of all ages will be invited to attend a Q & A with Tony Phillips who is Editor of the Listening Project and Fi Glover who is the presenter of the Radio 4 show. On Friday 23rd August, groups from the Monday session will be invited back to have a chance to record their stories with staff from BBC Radio 4/Radio Scotland. The Q & A will take place at the BBC Festival Pink tent and the recording will be done in a Radio Studio not far from the Festival site. There will be provision for thirty two people to have a chance to record their story on 23rd August.

Spaces on these workshops and shows are in high demand, so if you would like to register interest contact Aleister Mayer on aleister.mayer@bbc.co.uk or www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00vyngt.