In December, 30 YPI Final Showcases are set to take place meaning young people will be responsible for a £90,000 festive boost to local charities the length and breadth of Scotland.

This rounds off a busy 2023 whereby tens of thousands of young people have raised awareness, secured funds, showcased their creativity, and realised their potential as advocates and changemakers through YPI.

Gayle Duffus, Education Director at The Wood Foundation, said:

“It feels incredibly special to attend a YPI Final Showcase during the final weeks of the calendar year, representing the real meaning of the season. To have 30 finals happening over a three-week period is busy but very rewarding.

“Schools have been adding a festive touch to proceedings and charities have shared it is a wonderful gift to receive to round off their year.”

At the YPI National Event in June, #YPI15 was launched to mark 15 years of the programme in Scotland. To the end of the 2022/23 academic year, the programme had engaged 310,000 young people who had been responsible for £6.8m reaching hundreds of Scotland’s charities.

Gayle added:

“The scale and longevity of YPI make it a very special programme. We are now meeting those who did the programme during their time at school now out in the workforce, remembering YPI as a catalyst for their career choices. That is rewarding and shows the value of this investment in empowering the active citizens of today and the future.

“This has been a busy year, and we are gearing up for an even busier 2024. With almost 290 school partners and a new regional delivery team in place, we are really excited for the opportunities to come.”