Project aims to increase confidence and self-esteem

Social enterprise Columba 1400 has announced that it reached nearly 300 young people in Scotland with its values-based leadership academies during 2021/22.

Columba 1400’s Young People’s Leadership Academies offer young people a safe space to discover their values, which provide a framework for them to make positive personal, career and life choices. 

The charity’s goals are closely aligned with the Scottish Government’s aim to close the poverty related attainment gap – giving graduates equal opportunities for a bright, fulfilling future whatever their circumstances.

McKinlay Consulting revealed that participants in the academies report increased confidence, being more able to engage with wider groups of people and being more willing and able to participate in school.

They also expressed a greater understanding of their own values and living by those values daily. Some also talked about being more certain of their goals or striving harder to achieve these.

• 93% agreed that their confidence has increased
• 85% agreed that their self-esteem has increased
• 89% agreed that the leadership academy improved their leadership skills
• 89% agreed that their resilience has improved
• 85% agreed that they felt encouraged to take on a greater leadership role in school and/or community
• 73% agree the experience helped them achieve positive change in their school.

Head teachers also observed significant change in confidence among the young people who’d been on the leadership academies and commented on the roles they had gone onto play in their schools.

One young person said of the opportunity: “The experience was quite life-changing to be honest. It made me more confident and made me value myself more. Now I know what I want to do in the future. I don’t think I’d be here, where I am today, or still in school if it weren’t for Columba 1400.”

Liam Stewart, head of partnerships at Columba 1400 says: “After the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, I am beyond delighted to see such positive outcomes.

“The biggest reward of my role is seeing these amazing young people open up, speak out and start to believe in themselves and what they can achieve. I look forward to welcoming even more young people to our academies over the coming years as we expand our work.”

Since 2000, more than 12,000 young people and their key adults have taken part in Columba 1400’s academies, which have often proved to be an important turning point in their lives.

To find out more about the work of Columba 1400 visit: columba1400.com