Youth & Children

A V on the right hand side on this list means that the organisation is actively seeking volunteers.

6VT Youth Cafe
"The youth cafe has been running for over 13 years and has helped over tens of thousands of youths from all over Edinburgh and surrounding areas."

Aberlour Childcare Trust
"The mission of Aberlour Child Care Trust is to improve the lives of Scotland's Children and Young People."

Action for Sick Children
"Action for Sick Children is the only charity in Scotland dedicated to representing, promoting and safeguarding the interests of all sick children, young people and their families."

Air Training Corps

The Award
"This site gives information and resources for participants, leaders and those interested in the Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme. If you live outside the Edinburgh area you should visit the national Duke of Edinburgh's Award site at www.theaward.org and find the details of the Award in your area."

Barnado's
"In Scotland Barnardo’s is one of the leading children's charities; we support 13,000 children and young people in their own communities through more than 60 community-based services throughout Scotland."

Bfriends Edinburgh
"bfriends is a service delivered by Children 1st and is the largest befriending service for Scotland's children. There are currently over 100 volunteers supporting vulnerable children and young people throughout Edinburgh and Midlothian."

Bookstart
"Bookstart Edinburgh, launched in February 2000, puts books into the hands of babies and their families throughout the city. Parents receive a free book bag containing 2 books, nursery rhymes and an invitation to join the library at their baby’s 4 month immunisation. A further Bookstart pack is given to parents at their child’s 12-15 month immunisation."

Boys Brigade
"The Battalion incorporates the City of Edinburgh, Midlothian and East Lothian Council Areas. It has 34 local Companies that make up the Battalion, with each of these groups being attached to a local church. It has 1100 Boy members and 300 volunteer adult leaders/helpers who give of their time freely each week."

Bullying Online
Advice and resources online to combat bullying in schools.

Cafe K
" Café K strives to work with young people most excluded, creating a safe and comfortable environment. Café K works towards assisting and encouraging young people’s development through a range of educational interventions, creating new and challenging experiences. Café K aims not to exclude any young people and prioritises work with those most affected by exclusion."

Caledonia Youth
"Caledonia Youth provides confidential support in both educational and clinical environments, enabling all young people in Scotland to make informed responsible choices about their personal and sexual relationships."

Canongate Youth Project
"Canongate Youth Project (CYP) has been in existence since 1977 and has gradually developed over the years from a project offering specialised services to a relatively small group of teenagers into an organisation offering a broad range of services. The Project's catchment area covers the Old Town, Holyrood and South Side areas of the City of Edinburgh, although the Training Services part of the organisation covers the Lothians."

Child Accident Prevention Trust
"The Child Accident Prevention Trust is the UK’s leading charity working to reduce the number of children and young people killed, disabled or seriously injured in accidents."

Child Brain Injury Trust
"The Child Brain Injury Trust (CBIT) is a UK-wide charity offering support, information and training on acquired brain injury in children."

Childcare Connections
"Providing high quality, affordable, flexible and inclusive after school and holiday care for school age children up to 14 years of age."

Children 1st
"We are one of Scotland's leading childcare charities. Our mission is to give every child in Scotland a safe and secure childhood."

Children and Family Centres
"Child and Family Centres offer support to vulnerable and disadvantaged families with children under five. Work with the child and the family may take place within the centre or the family home, or in other appropriate settings such as a nursery class. Respite day care within the centre may be offered as part of the family work. There are a number of centres within the city so a locally based service is applicable in most areas. As well as offering day care to the child, the Centres offer a range of services to support the family, for example, mother and toddler groups and community groups. Children with disabilities can attend the Centres which are supported by community occupational therapists and have access to a range of medical and social work services."

Children in Scotland
"Children in Scotland is the national agency for voluntary, statutory and professional organisations and individuals working with children and their families in Scotland."

Children Inc
"Children Inc is a voluntary project which provides inclusive activities for children living in North West Edinburgh who have additional support needs. The project also provides support groups and information for parent/carers and outings for families who have a child with an additional support need."

Citadel Youth Centre
"To provide a high quality service offering stimulation and new experiences to children and young people in the surrounding Leith area."

Craigmillar Books for Babies
"Craigmillar Books for Babies is a multi-agency project which aims to encourage and support parents and carers to share books and stories with their babies and to promote reading as a relevant and worthwhile source of pleasure which enhances children's early development."

Crew 2000
"Crew 2000 is a not-for-profit company (limited by guarantee), which provides services to young people around: stimulant drug use, sexual and emotional health and other related lifestyle issues. It also provides advice, information and training to a wide range of public and voluntary sector organisations as well as carryúing out research into drug trends."

Cry-sis
"Cry-sis offers support for families with excessively crying, sleepless and demanding babies."

CYP Scotland
"CYP Scotland, recently renamed from The Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs of Scotland, has been in the forefront of youth work since it's   formation in 1928. The organisation is now more than ever committed to providing young people with the necessary opportunities, support, skills and positive role models to enable them to become healthy and confident adults."

Daycare Trust
"We have been working since 1986 to promote high quality affordable childcare for all."

Dean and Cauvin Trust

Edinburgh City Youth Cafe
"Advice and support for young tenants aged 15 years or older."

Edinburgh Network for Children, Young People and Families
"The Eke-Out Project is a discrete unit within Edinburgh Voluntary Organisations’ Council (EVOC). The Project was set up in October 2002, with money from the Scottish Executive’s Changing Children’s Services Fund (CCSF), to improve the capacity of the voluntary sector to participate in the planning and delivery of services for children and young people."

Edinburgh Young Carers Project

Fairbridge
"Based in 15 of the most disadvantaged areas in England, Scotland and Wales, Fairbridge supports young people aged 13-25 who are not in education, employment or training – giving them the motivation, confidence and skills they need to change their lives."

Fast Forward Positive Lifestyles
"We are a national voluntary organisation based in Edinburgh and we promote health and well-being, through education by, with and for young people."

Fet-Lor Youth Centre
"The Fet-Lor Youth Centre is a club for the boys and girls of the Muirhouse and Pilton districts of Edinburgh."

First Hand
"firsthand services include our sitter service, befriending scheme and groups for children and young people on Saturdays."

Forth Children's Theatre
"We aim to give young people, regardless of background, a chance to experience all of the aspects of theatre."

Girls' Brigade
"Girls' Brigade seeks to help girls to learn life skills in a safe and secure environment whilst fulfilling its aim to teach girls self-control, reverence and a sense of responsibility. All this is set in the context of the Christian faith."

Girl Guiding Edinburgh
"Five thousand girls and women in Edinburgh already experience our unique programme of activities but there is always room for more, so come on in, you won’t be disappointed!"

Gingerbread Edinburgh and Lothian
"Provide emotional & practical help to lone parent families, through info/advice centre, and legal counselling clinics. Leaflets, posters & advice available on request. Also provide support service, holiday information packs. Five After School Clubs, Playschemes and cover for in-service days."

Granton Youth Centre
"Granton Youth Centre is a purpose built youth centre for 11-25 year olds located on West Granton Road with charitable status. The Centre was designed in consultation with local young people who had a real say in how the building was refurbished. Opened in early 2003, the centre has attracted a growing number of young people to take part in its activities and benefit from the wide range of services on offer."

Homestart
"Through a network of more than 15,000 trained parent volunteers we support thousands of parents who are struggling to cope."

Hope for Children
" HOPE’s aims and objectives are to assist children, who suffer through being handicapped, orphaned, poor and exploited, in particular those living in developing countries. This is achieved through providing promoting and advancing children’s rights to basic necessities, including education and health care, aimed at sustaining their long term development."

Hot Hoose
"We are an independent charity committed to improving the social, emotional and sexual well-being of young people in Edinburgh. We work across the south of the city. You might see us in schools, community centres."

John Watson's Trust
"The Trust awards grants to under 21-year-olds with either a physical or learning disability or who are in a situation of deprivation.  The grants have to be for educational purposes and are awarded both to individuals and to groups and organisations working with eligible young people."

The Junction
Young people, health and wellbeing.

Lothian Association of Youth Clubs
"The aim of the Association is to "promote the benefit of children and young people in the City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian and West Lothian areas, without distinction of political, religious or other opinions, by associating the local authorities, statutory bodies, voluntary organisations and inhabitants in a common effort to advance education and to provide facilities in the interests of social welfare for recreation and other leisure time occupation with the object of improving the conditions of life for children and young people in the area of benefit, and in furtherance thereof" "

Muirhouse Youth Development Group
"MYDG aims to engage young people through open youth clubs, sports groups, outdoor education, group work, non-curricular education, employability programmes, 1:1 support and residential programmes."

National Association of Toy and Leisure Libraries
"The National Association of Toy & Leisure Libraries (NATLL) was founded in 1972 and is the national body for toy and leisure libraries in the UK."

National Day Nurseries Association
"National Day Nurseries Association is a national charity which aims to enhance the development and education of children in their early years, through the provision of support services to members."

National Playbus Association
"Based in Bristol and Edinburgh, National Playbus Association is the umbrella organisation supporting mobile community work across the United Kingdom."

North Edinburgh Childcare
Affordable city childcare.

NSPCC
"We have 177 community-based projects and run the Child Protection Helpline and ChildLine in the UK and the Channel Islands. Most of our work is with children, young people and their families. We also work to achieve cultural, social and political change - influencing legislation, policy, practice, public attitudes and behaviours and delivering services for the benefit of young people."

Pilmeny Youth Centre
"The Centre is situated in the Lorne/Pilrig area of Leith @ 44 Buchanan Street Our programme of activities and events caters for the needs of the local community. From local Youth and Minority Ethnic groups to self-help organisation's. Our programme is both wide and varied. We have 16 community groups using the centre every week: 7 groups working with young people, including British Minority Ethnic, under the age of 16; 1 group providing recreation and care for the Minority Ethnic elderly; and 1 groups providing support for narcotic users."

The Rock Trust
"The Rock Trust is a charity that works in Edinburgh and West Lothian with homeless and socially excluded young people between the ages of 16 and 25 years. The Trust’s aim is to provide opportunities for young people to develop the personal, social and practical skills, as well as the sense of self worth necessary for independent adult life."

Rural and Urban Training Schemes (RUTS)
"RUTS uses motorcycles and related skills as a focus in providing support and direction to vulnerable young people. It has proven success in reducing offending and anti-social behaviour, and assisting young people in mainstream education."

Save the Children
"Save the Children fights for children's rights; we deliver immediate and lasting improvement to children's lives worldwide."

Sea Cadets
"The Sea Cadets is a nationwide voluntary youth organisation, open to young people aged 12 to 18, Marine Cadets for young people aged 13 to 18 and with Junior Sections open to those of 10 to 12 years of age, run by enthusiastic adult volunteers."

Scottish Childminding Association
"Our vision is for quality childminding to build confident children within a family-based childcare experience."

Scottish Children's Law Centre
"We are the only Law Centre in Scotland that works exclusively for children and young people. We provide services throughout the whole of Scotland."

Scottish Pre School Play Association
"Scottish Pre-school Play Association (SPPA) is Scotland's largest voluntary sector provider of direct support services to community led childcare organisations."

Scottish Youth Parliament
"We think that young people in Scotland have the right to have their views listened to and acted upon."

Smile Childcare
"smilechildcare believes in building good beginnings through play, laughter and love. We recognise that children are naturally curious about the world. We know that they learn best through hands-on, sensory-orientated activities. We give them plenty of space and time to explore and investigate, using materials to create and construct."

South East Scotland Scouts
"The aim of the Association is to promote the development of young people in achieving their full physical, intellectual, social and spiritual potential, as individuals, as responsible citizens and as members of their local, national and international communities."

Special Needs Information Point
"SNIP provides advice and information on services available to children with additional support needs and their carers. You don't always have to have a specific question for us, as we also provide a 'listening ear'."

The SSC
"Home of the famous Struan Summer Camps."

St Andrew's Children's Society
"St Andrew’s Children’s Society is a voluntary adoption agency based in Edinburgh and operating within a 60 mile radius of Scotland’s capital city."

Trinity Sea Cadets
"At Edinburgh Trinity we do a variety of activities, Water based activities during the summer and Football during the winter to name but a few."

Venchie Children and Young People's Project
"The Venchie has a general room, small sports hall, art room, computer suite and kitchen. Outside there is range of play equipment set in a well kept garden."

Venture Scotland
"Venture Scotland runs a challenging, outdoor based, personal development programme open to young people (aged 16-30) who want to make positive, lasting changes in their lives."

Wester Hailes Youth Agency
"Wester Hailes Youth Agency strives to promote, establish, and operate sustainable services and facilities, which integrate environmental, social and economic factors for the benefit of young people aged 8-25, within Wester Hailes and the surrounding communities of Broomhouse, Sighthill, Parkhead, Baberton, Juniper Green and Longstone."

Young Enterprise Scotland
"Young Enterprise Scotland (YES) is one of Scotland's leading providers for aspiring young people in Enterprise in Education. Our wide range of programmes for young people aged 5 – 25, give them the opportunity to develop their full potential and raise their confidence and self esteem and also test out their business ideas."

Young Scot
Information, advice and discounts for young people.

Youth Link Scotland
"As the National Agency for Youth Work in Scotland our mission is to be the collective voice of youth work and to represent the needs and interests of the youth work sector..."

Youth Scotland
"Youth Scotland is the largest non-uniformed youth organisation in Scotland and one of the key providers of information, training, advice and support to part time and voluntary youth workers."

YWCA
"Our aim is to empower girls and women, particularly those under 30, to develop their full potential and to participate at all levels of society world-wide."