We have launched a new website and this page has been archived.Find out more

[Skip to Content]

16 January 2015

Scottish youth work conference gets underway

Over 300 youth workers from across Scotland have arrived in the Highlands today for one of Scotland's largest youth work conferences. 

Deep Impact, Scotland's national youth work training conference, which is run by some of Scotland's most respected Christian youth work agencies and the Evangelical Alliance, takes place this weekend, bringing together a wide variety of voluntary and paid workers, and injecting almost £50,000 into the Highlands economy.

Coming at a time of increased pressures on local authority community budgets, Deep Impact in Aviemore also offers a chance to showcase the vast amount of church-based youth work across Scotland as well as sharing best practice and building partnerships, both within the voluntary sector and also with local authorities.

Charlie Morris, director of Urban Saints Scotland and chair of Deep Impact said: "We are delighted to be returning to Aviemore for Deep Impact 2015, which will be a significant event for youth work in Scotland this year. The 300 youth workers in attendance, between them, work with thousands of young people, providing thousands of hours of youth work in communities across Scotland at no cost to the taxpayer. At a time of scarce resources this is a great opportunity to provide top quality training and share good practice with Scotland's hidden army of community heroes, for the benefit of young people across Scotland."

"We are also pleased to be able to make a significant contribution to the Highlands economy during January which we know can be a quiet time following the Christmas celebrations. As well as the conference itself many of the youth workers who attend Deep Impact will bring repeat business to the Aviemore area by bringing groups of young people back throughout the year."

Dave Thompson, MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, who will address the conference, said: "I am privileged and delighted to be speaking at the Deep Impact youth work training conference which will highlight the great voluntary and paid youth work carried out in our society all year round. 

"The weekend is an opportunity to show just how much church-based youth work across Scotland is taking place and the great value we place on it, and will also serve as an opportunity to build links in the community between the local authority and the voluntary sector."

Deep Impact is run by the Scottish Christian Youth Work forum, the youth wing of the Evangelical Alliance Scotland. SCYWF is a hub for national Christian youth organisations working across the country. Members, include Alpha Scotland, Baptist Union of Scotland FireStarters UK Ltd., International Christian College, Message Scotland, Salvation Army, Scottish Bible Society, Scripture Union Scotland, Tearfund, Urban Saints Scotland, Youth for Christ, and YWAM Scotland.