Pupils to attend youth conference
West Lothian students will be among those taking part in one of Scotland’s largest youth gatherings later this month.
The Youth and Philanthropy Initiative (YPI) Scotland National Event will welcome more than 1000 participants of the programme who have secured hundreds of thousands of pounds for charitable causes in their local areas this year.
Emeli Sandé will perform a special acoustic set and share insight into her own philanthropic activities at the Perth Concert Hall.
The Aberdeenshire-raised multi-Brit Award winning artist said: “It is an honour to be invited to attend and perform at the YPI 10th anniversary event and to share the room with so many inspiring young people making a difference in their communities. I’m looking forward to hearing about the journey of YPI and the great platform it provides to empower young people and equip them with the skills, attitude and outlook needed to thrive and contribute in the 21st century.”
Pupils from Broxburn Academy, Inveralmond High School, St Margaret’s Academy, The James Young High School and Whitburn Academy will be attending the event on June 20.
Comedian, motivational speaker and Britain’s Got Talent sensation Anna Devitt will also take to the stage, alongside Chelsea Cameron whose positive open letter to her drug-addicted parents went viral. Singersongwriter Callum Beattie will perform at the event and more than 30 young people will share unique and impactful YPI presentations to the audience of peers, education professionals, third sector representatives and commercial partners.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the YPI programme in Scotland, during which time the programme has grown from a pilot in 10 North-east schools to being active in more than 230 across each of Scotland’s 32 local authorities. It has engaged and empowered 140,000 young people making it the biggest and most successful independent initiative being delivered in Scottish education.
YPI Scotland is the flagship programme of The Wood Foundation.
It is an active citizenship programme which raises awareness among young people about philanthropy and the needs of their local communities. Each year every participating school is responsible for directing a £3000 YPI grant to a local charity through a unique programme of teamwork, research and competition. Over the course of the past 10 years, £3.2m has been secured for charities in Scotland..
Chairman of the Wood Foundation, Sir Ian Wood, said: “We are honoured that Emeli Sandé will join us as we mark the accomplishments of a decade of YPI here in Scotland. Her musical and humanitarian achievements are sure to inspire the young people to continue on the philanthropic journey they started with YPI. From a pilot of 10 schools in 2008 to more than 230 secondary schools now participating across each of Scotland’s 32 local authorities, we are immensely proud of the way YPI has been embraced by young people and educators and empowered them to make a difference.
“As an active citizenship programme, YPI often acts a catalyst for young people as they shape who they want to be and what they want from life. It has also had an incredible impact in terms of support for grassroots charities and youth engagement with these important causes. What has been accomplished by these empowered young people within their communities this year, and over the past 10 years, is truly heartening and our national event is a fantastic way to celebrate their collective success.”