The Youth Action Fund (YAF) is an ambitious and long term project targeting young people aged 16 – 25 years old who are disadvantaged by their circumstances to make a successful transition to adulthood.
This fund is not currently open to applicants.
In 2020 Inspiring Scotland was approached by the Distillers’ Charity, the charitable arm of The Worshipful Company of Distillers, to develop a fund that would transform the life chances of young people in Scotland who were facing significant barriers to succeed. This was the beginning of a strong partnership which resulted in the launch of the Youth Action Fund in 2021.
Inspiring Scotland manages all aspects of the fund in collaboration with the Distillers’ Charity, as a trusted partner with track record in directing funding where it can make the biggest difference.
A portfolio of five third sector delivery partners forms the Youth Action Fund: Aberdeen Foyer, Action for Children, FARE Scotland, Street League and ENABLEWorks. These organisations work collaboratively and alongside The Talk About Trust which provides training to staff in reducing young people’s risk associated with alcohol misuse.
Each organisation brings the right blend of experience, skills, and a trusted community presence, ensuring meaningful and effective support. With oversight by Inspiring Scotland, which ensures consistency in approach and delivering against a rigorous KPI reporting system.
Read The Distillers’ Charity’s latest annual Impact Report to learn about the fund’s lasting impact on the lives of Scotland’s young people.
During 2024, 1,157 young people were supported through the Youth Action Fund, bringing the total number supported since the fund began to almost 3,000.
Youth Action Fund Impact Report 2024
The Youth Action Fund focuses on where the need is greatest, engaging young people facing multiple complex barriers. Although 60% of young people supported to date live in the top 30% most deprived areas of Scotland, the fund also operates in rural areas and pockets of deprivation.
A key focus is reaching young people who have disengaged from education, helping them access learning, gain qualifications, and develop skills.
With the right support, many of these young people can gain the skills and confidence to achieve employability and enter the workforce and contributing positively to society
The Youth Action Fund is built on the understanding that real, sustainable change doesn’t happen overnight – it’s a process that takes time. The goal isn’t just short-term success, but equipping young people to navigate challenges and opportunities well into the future.
Key components of the programmes include:
The Youth Action Fund (YAF) is made possible by funds raised at the Distillers’ Charity One of One Auction which take place every two years. The Youth Action Fund builds on the ambition of the Scotch Whisky Industry to make a positive impact on the lives of young people in their communities, particularly in communities which surround the industry.
Aberdeen Foyer supports people facing homelessness, unemployment, mental health issues and poverty. The charity believes everyone has a right to a positive future and aims to help people towards education, work and a stable place to live. Working in the city of Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, the charity supports more than 1600 people a year to
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Action for Children delivers crucial services across Scotland, providing practical and emotional care supporting young people. Working towards a vision that every child and young person should have a safe and happy childhood, the charity helps around 20,000 of the most disadvantaged young people in Scotland every year. Young people are identified through the Scottish
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The Talk About Trust is a national charity that supports schools, parents, carers, health educators and professionals supporting young adults to ensure that young people of all abilities are equipped with the resilience and life skills to make safer choices around alcohol and other substances. The Trust’s work in Scotland is an integral part of
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Claire is a Business Studies graduate who has worked within several multinational organisations, with experience in Projects, Resourcing, Team Management and Business Support. After several years progressing her career in London, Claire decided to take a career break to raise her two sons. This later coincided with a move to Scotland and a change in motivation....
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Having started a long and varied career on the fishing boats around Oban and Mallaig, Duncan’s hard-working attitude and strong team spirit make him a great fit for Inspiring Scotland. Duncan went on to have a long and extensive career in banking and insurance where he held many senior roles in sales, distribution, compliance, marketing....
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Louise believes in getting the best from people to help them to have the greatest impact on Scotland’s most vulnerable people. On board since the very beginning, her expertise in organisational strategy and leadership development have been instrumental to the way Inspiring Scotland works. Louise has a breadth of experience in the voluntary and public....
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If Elaine Crichton has a specialist topic, it would be diversifying Scotland’s Boards through recruitment and bespoke training of Trustees. It’s an area she is not just enthusiastic about but also well placed to offer guidance and training, having provided 46 organisations in-depth governance and board development support in the last year. She also walks
Read MoreFor all enquiries about the Youth Action Fund, please email yafenquiries@inspiringscotland.org.uk
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