Children and young people across Scotland are set to benefit from over £2 million (£2,081,593) in funding announced by The National Lottery Community Fund on 21 January 2026. The funding will support 22 organisations through the Young Start programme, which distributes money from dormant bank accounts to initiatives that empower young people and help them reach their full potential. The programme aims to create lasting positive impacts on children and youth across Scotland.
Charities such as Hydra Arts in West Dunbartonshire will use £82,404 to run a 2.5-year project with 10 young performers, aged 13 to 25. The project includes a creative international collaboration with a youth group in Toronto, Canada, culminating in a live public performance. Participants will gain confidence, make new friends, and explore cultural exchange opportunities. Peter McMaster, Hydra Arts Artistic Director, highlighted the importance of this international engagement for expanding horizons, while participants expressed how the project has boosted their confidence and personal growth.
Culture Perth and Kinross (CPK) Limited will receive £100,000 to develop the CPK Youth Collective 2026–28 project, which supports young people aged 16 to 25 from rural areas. The initiative allows participants to gain new skills, contribute to community events, and engage with cultural heritage venues like Perth Museum and Perth Art Gallery. The project will directly involve 30 young people over three years and reach at least 2,000 through public activities and online content. Participants reported increased confidence, freedom of expression, and a sense of inclusion, while CPK Youth Collective staff emphasized the importance of raising the youth voice and sustaining impactful services.
Regen: FX Youth Trust will use £99,571 to continue youth-led community services in Springhall and Whitlawburn, South Lanarkshire. Their two-year programme will support 250 young people through after-school clubs, volunteering opportunities, and seasonal events. Dylan Scott, a Youth Board Member, highlighted how the funding allows young people to gain confidence, take on leadership roles, and access opportunities that they would otherwise miss.
Other funded organisations include Adoption UK Charity, Lyra, Wasp Community Club, Dundee West Community Trust, Auchinleck Community Development Initiative, Lochlan’s Legacy, Twechar Community Action, Venture Trust, Baba Yangu Foundation, Birds of Paradise Theatre Company, Community Renewal Trust, Glasgow Watersports, Junction 12, The Fostering Network, YoMo Young Movers, Compass Collective, Moray School Bank, and VIP-Pass Community Project. These initiatives span a range of activities, including arts, sports, wellbeing, volunteering, leadership development, employability, peer mentoring, and support for children and young people facing bereavement or chronic illness.
The National Lottery Community Fund distributes funds from dormant bank and building society accounts in Scotland, which receives 8.4% of the total funds distributed. The funding programme underpins projects that build skills, enhance wellbeing, and foster meaningful community engagement for young people, helping them thrive locally and, in some cases, internationally. This support continues the Fund’s mission to create resilient, inclusive, and sustainable communities across Scotland and the wider UK.
