Elgin Youth Development Group supporting youth employability
The Bairdwatson Charitable Trust awarded £4,000 to the Elgin Youth Development Group towards their employability programme.
Elgin Youth Development Group (EYDG) supports young people aged 11 to 24 in Elgin and the surrounding areas. EYDG provides free youth services, including a café, social enterprise, training café, employability programme, and cooked meals. Around half of the members come from areas experiencing multiple deprivations. With a “run by young people for young people” ethos, EYDG works to include the most vulnerable and help them gain confidence, skills, and opportunities for personal development.
A grant of £4,000 supported EYDG’s employability programme, offering paid work placements to young people aged 16 to 24 facing barriers to employment. Placements, lasting 16 weeks, were tailored to match each trainee’s skills, interests, and aspirations, and included roles in hospitality, catering, administration, and social media. Support continued beyond the placement period, helping participants progress towards their education, training, or employment goals.
Over the past year, 21 young people took part in the programme. Trainees gained transferable skills such as teamwork, communication, and timekeeping, alongside industry-specific training including Food Hygiene, Knife Skills, and CV development. By the end of their placements, 6 trainees had moved into employment, 7 into further education or training, and 5 received specialist support. Across all participants, confidence increased by an average of 70%, with some reporting dramatic improvements.
The programme also accommodated additional challenges such as neurodiversity, mental health difficulties, and personal barriers, including care experience, poverty, and low self-esteem. By offering structured, supportive placements in a real work environment, EYDG helped young people gain the skills and confidence needed to take the next steps in their careers. The model required higher staffing ratios to ensure support in busy settings, but this approach enabled meaningful outcomes for each trainee.
Support from the Bairdwatson Charitable Trust ensured that the employability programme continued and remained accessible and effective. The project has created lasting benefits, helping young people gain confidence, employability skills, and positive pathways into work or education, and strengthening EYDG’s approach to supporting vulnerable youth.
Case Study of Trainee C: written by Elgin Youth Development Group:
“I was made aware of a work placement opportunity at EYDG through my DWP work coach. My sister had already completed a placement in the cafe, and I had seen first-hand what a difference it had made to her confidence and life. While this did influence my decision to apply, I remember receiving encouragement and support from the Youth Team Manager, which made the process a lot less daunting. Prior to my placement, I had just finished a degree which was fully online and due to struggling with anxiety since high school, I hadn’t left the safety of my home for four years. I struggled with doing simple things that most people take for granted – going to the shops, walking around a park, and going out to eat. It had only been in the year prior to my placement that I had built up the courage and found the support to step into the world again. My confidence was still non-existent, my anxiety around social interactions was high, and I felt like a lost cause.
So, when I began to work at EYDG as a Youth Assistant, I was truly shocked at the impact and change it had on me from the start. The work complemented my skill set while still allowing me to grow and learn, but perhaps the most life-changing aspect of it all was and is the people that I work with. The support and understanding the EYDG team gave me during my placement went above and beyond my expectations. I had found a safe space where, though terrifying at times, it felt okay to be challenged and pushed beyond my comfort zone. Looking back to November, I was a completely different person from who I am now. The opportunities that EYDG provide young people are truly life changing, and I am so grateful to have been given the chance to realise my potential in such a warm, friendly and supportive environment. Post placement, I was interviewed for a Fundraising and Communication Assistant role within the organisation, and I was thrilled to get the position. I continue to grow, learn and develop in such an amazing work environment.” |
Project at a glance
- 21 young people supported through paid work placements
- Young people 16-24 facing barriers, low confidence and additional support needs
- 6 moved into employment
- 7 progressed to further education or training
- 5 referred for specialist support
- Food Hygiene, Knife Skills, CV development, communication, and hospitality training
- Average 69.99% increase in confidence across participants
- Practical experience in hospitality, administration, and social media
- Teamwork, timekeeping, communication, and workplace professionalism skills gained
- Support continued beyond placement
Additional impact
Participants reported increased self-esteem, independence, and motivation. The programme strengthened EYDG’s employability provision and demonstrated the value of structured, supported placements in achieving positive outcomes for young people facing multiple barriers.
| “We are delighted to receive funding through Foundation Scotland, it is thanks to the generous support from your funders, such as The Bairdwatson Charitable Trust, that we can continue the delivery of our programme, which has helped over 90 young people.” |
Read more about the Bairdwatson Charitable Trust