The Young Women Know campaign was delivered by NSPCC Scotland and The Young Women’s Movement
Artwork created by a group of young women across Scotland who have been leading a campaign to tackle peer sexual abuse and harassment will be on display next week (April 7-12).
They created the art with artist Maya Rose Edwards at a recent event in St Brides Centre, Edinburgh, which celebrated their achievements.
Their work will be shown at Leith Library in Edinburgh.
The youth-led Young Women Know campaign, which was delivered by NSPCC Scotland and The Young Women’s Movement, began five years ago in Tayside with the Oor Fierce Girls, Bold Girls Ken, and Brave Lassies Blether projects.
These focussed on young women creating resources on healthy relationships, safe spaces, and consent, with support from Angus Council, Perth and Kinross Council and Dundee City Council.
The young women involved have been at the heart of leading these campaigns over the past few years.
Highlights have included hosting and speaking at many high-profile events including at the Scottish Parliament where two champions were part of a panel event at the Festival of Politics, the V&A in Dundee, Perth Art Gallery, Montrose Football Club and Angus Town and County Hall in Forfar and widespread media coverage from newspapers, TV, and radio.
Young Women Know champions have met with a wide range of supporters such as politicians and professionals including LGBT Youth Scotland and RASAC (Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre in Perth & Kinross).
They have hosted workshops and distributed their co-designed resources in schools, colleges, and youth groups to raise awareness of what a healthy relationship looks and feels like, including at the Scottish Women in Sports conference and Twilight at the Museum youth event in Glasgow.
The young women also delivered presentations to LGBT Youth Scotland, Struan (SSC Summer camp) and the NSPCC’s Board of Trustees and senior leadership team.
Their resources were added to the Relationships and Sexual Health and Parenthood (RSHP.scot) education website for children and young people. This means they are available to schools, colleges and community-based learning as part of the Curriculum for Excellence.
And the campaign was shortlisted in the Participation and Youth Voice category for the National Youth Work Awards 2024.
Aimee Wallace (20) from Auchterarder in Perthshire, who joined the Bold Girls Ken campaign in 2022, said: “I have really enjoyed being involved in this campaign. It has improved my confidence, public speaking, teamwork skills and knowledge about gender equality issues facing young women.
“I’ve met so many amazing people with the same values and who are as passionate as I am about helping to keep young women safe and informed. We’ve had so many brilliant opportunities, including doing interviews with the BBC which was great.”
Participatory public artist Maya Rose Edwards held a printmaking workshop with the young women to create a large banner and flags.
She said: “Art can be an effective way to give people a voice, especially young women who are so often quiet when they don’t need to be.
“Having something to do together, where you can recognise yourself as a part of something larger, means that more important, sometimes difficult conversations, can then take place.
“I hope these young women tap into the good memories from today in the future to help them be confident in other spaces where they may struggle to get their voice heard.”
Carla Malseed, NSPCC Scotland local campaigns manager, added: “The strength of the Young Women Know campaign has been thanks for the commitment and dedication from each of the young women involved to creating a better Scotland for young women and girls. I would encourage everyone to check out their fantastic artwork at Leith Library.”
This was echoed by Jenni Snell, CEO of The Young Women’s Movement, who said: “The Young Women Know project, created by young women from across Scotland, serves as a powerful toolkit designed to enhance understanding of healthy relationships, safe spaces, and consent for both young women and practitioners.
“We are deeply proud of the programme we have delivered alongside NSPCC Scotland and encourage anyone who can to visit Leith Library to view the works of art created as part of the project.”
The Young Women's Movement will continue the delivery of the Young Women Know project in 2025, building on the legacy of resources from past projects with a focus on online safety to continue to amplify young women's voices.
The Young Women Know Art exhibition will be on display at Leith Library, Edinburgh, from Monday, April 7 –12.
For more information visit: https://www.youngwomenscot.org/young-women-know
Young people looking for support on any of the issues mentioned, can contact Childline on 0800 1111 or visit Childline.org.uk. Childline is there for all young people up until their 19th birthday. Call the police on 999 if you suspect someone is in immediate danger.
