Suicide is the leading cause of death for young adults in Scotland.
Venture Scotland is the only provider of long-term, outdoor-based personal development support for young adults in Scotland. Using Scotland’s natural environments and a person-centred practice, we support young adults who are suffering from poor mental health, trauma, poverty, health inequality, unemployment, crime and alcohol and substance misuse. By gaining trusted relationships, valuable life skills and a deeper understanding of themselves and others, young adults are empowered to make positive, long-lasting changes and gain hope for their future.
Venture Scotland delivers weekly, group-based outdoor activities, such as gorge walking, canoeing and hill climbing, weekly social and emotional learning sessions, regular 1-to-1 support sessions and remote bothy residentials. Each session, indoors or out, gives young adults the chance to push past their comfort zone, connect with their peers and realise their potential – all of which can be channelled into their daily lives.
A grant from The Pixel Fund will allow Venture Scotland to pilot our new outdoor-based personal development programme - ‘Empower Yourself’ – with a group of young adults in Edinburgh. Empower Yourself will give young adults the confidence, understanding and practical skills to maintain and improve their mental health long term, beyond our programme. Empower Yourself will give young adults the opportunity to create a personal wellbeing plan, take part in interactive wellbeing sessions, focusing on sleep, nutrition, mindfulness and relationships, and experience the transformative power of the outdoors at our Glen Etive bothy.
Thanks to The Pixel Fund, we can help more young adults open up, trust others, ignite their self-esteem and discover their strengths.
“You have no idea how much this experience has changed my life from having plans for my future when I never used to and finally being able to believe in myself and say it out loud and show emotions. It's really challenged me in a good way, it's given me new things I love which is climbing and gave me my passion back. It's gave me the ability to trust people again and live in the moment and enjoy life again.”
