Youth Literacies

To The Max

Youth Literacies Collaborative National Project: report launched

To The Max is a national collaborative project co-ordinated by YouthLink Scotland, the national youth work agency for Scotland and funded by Learning Connections. The 18 month research project consisted of a literature review and nine pilot projects across Scotland.

The literature review demonstrated that current literacies publicity does not catch the attention of young people and that learning settings needed to be informal and welcoming. Costs must be also be kept low and the learning programmes must be relevant to the young person’s life. Each of the nine pilot projects were highly individual but the most successful projects shared specific characteristics which included working through existing networks and focusing the work on the resources and expertise that they had already built up.

Chief Executive of YouthLink Scotland, Jim Sweeney said: “All the evidence from To the Max indicates that the youth work sector has particular expertise and skills to contribute to carrying Youth Literacies forward.

“The evidence and data suggests that, not only is Youth Literacies a way of working with young people but its success is dependant on a range of prerequisite youth work practices being in place. The greatest advantages are to be gained for young people where the adult literacies and youth work sectors join forces to provide options and choices for young people utilising the skills and expertise that both bring.”

To the Max report.pdf

If you have any queries please contact, Gillian Lithgow, Senior Development Officer, YouthLink Scotland on 0131 313 2488 or by email glithgow@youthlink.co.uk 

Read about the pilot projects>>