The event took place at the Regional Performance Centre.
Individual and community achievements were celebrated at a special event hosted by Columba 1400 and What Matters to You (WM2U) in Dundee.
The Columban Gathering, which took place at the Regional Performance Centre in Dundee, was a celebration of young people, families and practitioners who are creating impactful, values-led change in their communities.
The event demonstrated that when young people and the key adults in their lives are given the opportunity to lead, change happens, not just in schools, homes and community centres, but across entire communities.
The Columban Gathering also brought together voices from across the city and beyond to share stories of transformation, challenge traditional ways of thinking, and showcase the potential that unfolds when communities are guided by their core values.
Columba 1400 offers values-based leadership experiences (VBLE) that are alongside young people, and the key adults in their lives, so they can explore what truly matters to them and be empowered to apply these values to shape how they live, learn, and lead.
Working closely with WM2U, an approach focused on placing people’s voices at the centre of decisions that affect them, this collaboration highlights the importance of listening to young people and their families as drivers of meaningful, lasting change.
One group that has benefitted from the partnership are the parents connected to the Kirkton Community Centre in Dundee.
What began as a group of parents supporting their children has become a movement that is helping to revitalise a whole community.
Through Columba 1400’s VBLE and WM2U’s belief in lived experience leadership, members of the group have been able to reframe their roles in their community as local leaders with the confidence and tools to shape their environment for the whole community, especially young people.
A parent from the group said: “WM2U enables you to be heard and have a voice that isn't dismissed. Being able to be yourself without being judged has always been one of my fears, but thanks to What Matters to You that has changed me for the better.”
“This leadership opportunity has been a great way to help bring together members of the local Kirkton Community to shape our ambitious ideas for our new community owned and run centre for Kirkton.”
Another group, The Lochee Youth Volunteers, has turned their hope into action since attending a Columba 1400 leadership academy.
They are working together to explore ideas of how they might run their own project, without staff taking charge.
As part of this, they have been awarded £1,500 through the Lochee Make It Happen Fund to design and deliver their own residential experience, similar to the Columba 1400 Leadership Academy, but planned and led by them.
Additionally, three of the Lochee Youth Volunteers have stepped into leadership roles as youth advisors for the WM2U Make It Happen Fund, working alongside decision-makers to allocate funding in their communities.
A member of the Lochee Youth Volunteers said: “We are better as a team, better at seeing situations from the other person’s perspective, and this has helped us be more understanding and less reactive.”
Geoff Leask, Dundee Coordinator at What Matters to You, said: “Change doesn’t have to come from the top. When we listen to young people and their families and support them to lead with authenticity, courage, and compassion, communities become stronger and more hopeful.
“Through workshops, shared storytelling, and interactive sessions, the Columban Gathering highlighted how breaking down long-standing barriers and nurturing a values-first mindset can reshape the way communities work together, not only in Dundee but across Scotland.”
Marie Clare Tully, chief executive of Columba 1400 added: “The Columban Gathering was such a special opportunity to come together, share powerful stories of impact and celebrate the positive change happening in our communities.
“Every day, we see the incredible potential of young people and the key adults in their lives, to lead real, lasting change.
“The stories we heard were full of heart and hope – they’re a poignant reminder of the importance of being alongside people, listening to them and letting them know that they matter – and what is possible when people are given the space to reflect on what truly matters to them.”
