Young adults with additional needs will be able to live more independently.

A new community hub opening in Musselburgh this September will help young adults with additional needs gain independence, build life skills, and connect with their local community. 

Teens+ has announced the programme will allow participants to take part in life’s “next steps. 

The charity was established in 2006 to support school leavers in Edinburgh with complex needs who were typically excluded from further education and life’s “next steps”.

In 2023, Teens+ launched its Next Steps programme to meet growing demand for greater independence among young people in Edinburgh with additional support needs.

Many were eager to move beyond traditional day services and pursue meaningful life goals and opportunities they often miss out on due to limited progression routes in conventional care settings. 

Next Steps was created to bridge that gap, offering a more flexible, empowering path forward for both Teens+ students and others in the Lothians.

Since then, Next Steps has engaged over 150 young people with additional support needs across the Lothians through adapted Duke of Edinburgh Award excursions, social enterprise, volunteering, a calendar of social events, and more.

“No matter the goal, big or small, Next Steps supports young people in engaging in society in ways that are meaningful to them,” says Caitlin Nightingale, Next Steps manager. 

“Next Steps creates opportunities for social inclusion and provides young people with access to new skills and training opportunities that align with their interests and goals in life. 

"This Next Steps Hub gives them space to grow, connect, and thrive. Whether it’s writing a CV and applying for a job or learning to budget, shop and cook, we’re helping young people take real steps towards independence.”

“Fisherrow is a vibrant community, and that’s exactly where our young people belong,” adds Simon Pearce-Madge, Head of Teens+. 

“The Next Steps Hub provides flexibility and reduces reliance on paid building-based support. It allows young people to transition from traditional day services to more flexible, community-based support. 

The Next Step Hub will support those who are ready to move on but need some skills development to be able to do so, wherever they are coming from. 

The hub gives them the freedom to drop in, learn new skills, and be part of everyday life. It also allows us to open up our service to others for whom one-to-one support is excessive for their needs.”

“My son Lewis has been part of Next Steps since it launched in 2023, and the change in him has been incredible,” says parent Donna Leitch. 

“He’s more confident, eager to try new things like cooking and volunteering, and even stayed away from home overnight for the first time on a Duke of Edinburgh expedition, something we never thought possible. The social side has been a huge hit too, especially the discos. He’s started taking real pride in his appearance, learning to shave, choosing his own haircuts, and heading out to socialise on his own.”

The move completes the charity’s ambitious growth target to support more young adults with additional support needs in East Lothian.