Feedback

What I love about being a part of Youth Vision is working alongside everyone; there is always something different going on, with lots of different ideas being shared; it’s refreshing to meet people from all walks of life. It’s great to see the young peoples’ confidence growing.

Thanks for the opportunity you have given the boys, they wouldn’t go to school but would come to Youth Vision!

I get better at cooking and that makes me feel good. I am confident cooking at home for myself and other people.

I am writing to thank you for such an insightful afternoon in to the work that you are providing to some of Edinburgh’s most vulnerable young people. It was good to hear first hand from the young people themselves how they are benefiting from taking part in the woodland experience programme.

It was also good to hear from you about the work you have planned for the future.

I would offer my support to any funding application that you make to the Pentland /South West Neighbourhood Partnership.

Tool safety was my biggest achievement as I want to get a job as a joiner.

I have engaged with Youth Vision through a pupil on two occasions. On both, Youth Vision have been able to engage a young person who has opted to disengage with any other service and have managed to progress their life skills and, through this, their self-esteem.

Youth Vision is quite unique in that it engages with pupils over a longer term which allows for strong relationships to build and sustainable changes in behaviour. Any further support that they could provide beyond school would be extremely beneficial – often when young people leave, the supports fall away and pupils are unable to sustain their success/positive destination. If Youth Vision were able to continue work until a young person’s next step has stabilised this would greatly improve outcomes for young people.

I liked being in the country because it’s quiet and I can run around.

I currently have an S4 pupil who is attending Youth Vision’s Back on Track programme. He is completely disillusioned with school and his school attendance is currently 55%. However, since starting with Youth Vision in October he has attended every session with them which to me speaks for itself. He appears to be engaged and working well in the programme which is also very different from his presentation at school where he is now so far behind in his work that he often refuses to try. This boy has low self-esteem and struggles with low mood. Youth Vision has given him the opportunity to meet other young people who are experiencing similar difficulties.

In my opinion the opportunity to be outside and active is also helpful in lifting his mood. On top of the benefits to his confidence and mental health he is also learning new skills which will help when he leaves school in May 2017. I am an Education Welfare Officer and work with young people who do not attend school regularly. Post 16 they often struggle to gain/maintain employment or further education. If Youth Vision offered a 16+ programme I feel this would be extremely beneficial to these pupils.

I would also like to mention that I made a late referral to Youth Vision for this pupil and he initially did not get a place on the programme. However, when a place became available Sara was excellent and worked with both myself and school staff to meet him and get him settled into the programme at Youth Vision. He has little support from home and often sleeps in but Youth Vision staff are aware of this and often collect him from home on these occasions.

The best thing about Youth Vision is you learn new skills and everyone has patience with you.

What a beautiful place. The boys really enjoyed their time here and were sad to say goodbye. They particularly enjoyed the freedom and felt they were allowed to grow up and be independent. They made new friendships. They have a genuine respect for the place. What a wonderful nurturing and life-affirming experience. Brilliant!