Youth

Funding is available to help develop and grow community-based youth work provision in rural areas of Scotland.

After a successful first year, the Youth Scotland Rural Action Fund is back for a second year, with support again from The Robertson Trust and joined this year by the Gannochy Trust.

Two and a half years after a group of local people concerned that their village’s only pub was to be demolished formed ‘P.U.B’ (People United for Banton), the group are having their first monthly progress meetings with the contractors and design team working to turn the village’s aspirations into reality.

The Gatehouse Development Initiative has been working with Forestry and Land Scotland to develop apprentices’ dyking skills as part of an Erasmus+ project to transfer traditional rural skills.

Pupils from Montrose Academy and Mearns Academy finished their school term learning all about sustainability and renewable energy.

Over one hundred school pupils enjoyed a potato education day in Perthshire recently.

The event was organised by ADHB and the Royal Highland Education Trust (RHET) and was hosted by Bruce Farms in Perthshire as part of their Strategic Farm programme managed by AHDB.

Almost 2000 pupiles have taken part in a project growing and harvesting their own potatoes.

This year, over 60 classes from across Perth and Kinross took part in the Mr Jazzy Potato Project, which shows the children the gradually unfolding story of the spud and how food and farming are linked.

Top of the crops in the 2019 competition and winning the cup was the P2/3 class from Abernethy Primary School who won the ‘Heaviest Crop of Potatoes’.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has launched a food education programme for children and young people at the Royal Highland Show. 

The Good Food Futures programme is backed by £1 million of investment and will teach children and young people about Scotland's food industry.

Stirling High was a hive of activity on Thursday (6 June) as the local food community gathered for the launch of Alive with Local Food: a joint initiative, by Stirling Council and Forth Valley and Lomond Leader, to support and develop the local food sector. The Scottish Rural Network were also there, camera's at the ready - so stay tuned for our upcoming film from the event!

In this report, the Rural Youth Project tell us about an inspiring learning journey to the Netherlands.

The Rural Youth Project and Scottish Enterprise Urban/Rural Learning Journey was a collaboration to engage participants to “think different” regarding rural enterprise, sustainability and agriculture.