Specialist Youth Workers (SYW) programme - East Lothian Council

The Specialist Youth Workers (SYW) programme is run by practitioners from East Lothian Council’s Connected Communities team who are responsible for delivering Community Learning and Development (CLD), including youth work. SYWs have been in post since 2022, operating in urban and rural areas, supporting children and young people between the stages of P6-S3. The SYWs work in partnership with local primary and secondary schools, supporting young people to access opportunities across a range of contexts. The youth work activities create a link between school and community, while promoting practice for early intervention and encouraging regular attendance at school. 

The project has a mixed funding portfolio with most SYW staff centrally supported in permanent posts through the local authority's CLD budget. In a few areas and settings, the programme is delivered by SYWs who are employed by Third Sector organisations who rely on alternative funding streams.