Youth link Scotland
YouthLink Scotland is the National Agency for Youth Work in Scotland, a membership-based Scottish charity that supports 120+ youth work organizations through funding administration, policy advocacy, training, and professional frameworks. It serves the Scottish youth work sector exclusively, with the Scottish Government as its core funder.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersEdinburgh, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Youth link Scotland does
YouthLink Scotland is the National Agency for Youth Work in Scotland, established in 2004 and registered as a Scottish charity (SC003923). It operates as a membership-based non-profit headquartered in Edinburgh, with a small staff team of 11–50 employees, and serves over 120 member organizations from across the youth work sector. Its mission is to be the collective voice of the sector, advocating for universal access to high-quality youth work and engaging in policy influence, research, and the demonstration of impact — an estimated 450,000+ young people are reached annually through the sector it supports.
The organization's core offerings span policy influence, national grant programme administration (including the £758,000 Youth Arts Open Fund), training and development, professional frameworks (National Occupational Standards, Youth Work Outcomes and Skills Framework, National Youth Work Induction), and equality and public health initiatives. It operates several digital platforms: the Impact Hub (showcasing sector outcomes across digital, education, employability, equality, and wellbeing), the Youth Work Hub (a one-stop resource portal), and an online Learning Platform. Additional programmes include the National Youth Work Awards, The Link Magazine, and the 2026 AI Toolkit developed with young people. Underlying technology is administrative and content-publishing rather than product-based; no proprietary AI/ML, app, or API is disclosed.
YouthLink Scotland's revenue model rests on two primary streams: recurring membership fees from 120+ youth work organizations and the administration of Scottish Government grants. The Scottish Government is a core strategic partner, providing both core funding and the multi-programme grant capital that YouthLink Scotland distributes to the sector. Non-financial members are organisations (non-profits, charities, youth work agencies), and the geographic footprint is exclusively domestic — Scotland. The organization holds accreditations including Living Wage employer and Investors in Diversity.
Youth link Scotland firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Youth link Scotland
- Legal name
- YouthLink Scotland
- Website
- https://youthlinkscotland.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- YouthLink Scotland is the National Agency for Youth Work in Scotland, a membership-based Scottish charity that supports 120+ youth work organizations through funding administration, policy advocacy, training, and professional frameworks. It serves the Scottish youth work sector exclusively, with the Scottish Government as its core funder.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Youth link Scotland industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Youth Sector Advocacy and Membership Services
- NAICS
- Child and Youth Services (62411), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Youth Justice, At-Risk Youth & Violence Prevention Nonprofits (BPAGADAM), Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK)
Keywords
Where Youth link Scotland is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Edinburgh
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Youth link Scotland business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Fees: Revenue generated from membership fees paid by youth work organizations across Scotland. Over 120 member organizations contribute to sustain the organization's operations and advocacy work.
- Scottish Government Grants Administration: The organization administers Scottish Government funds to respond to needs of the youth work sector, including the Youth Arts Open Fund (£758,000). While they distribute these funds, this represents grant administration rather than direct revenue generation.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Youth link Scotland product offering
Product offeringCore offering
YouthLink Scotland is the national agency for youth work in Scotland, providing membership-based services to over 120 youth work organisations. The organisation administers Scottish Government grant programmes (including the £758,000 Youth Arts Open Fund), conducts policy research and advocacy, delivers training and professional development resources, maintains professional frameworks and occupational standards, and operates digital platforms including a Learning Platform, Youth Work Hub, and Impact Hub to support the youth work sector.
Product overview
YouthLink Scotland is The National Agency for Youth Work in Scotland, operating as a membership organization with over 120 members. The organization functions as a unified service rather than a modular platform, providing a portfolio of interconnected services including: policy influence and research, national grant programme administration (including the Youth Arts Open Fund), training and development (with professional frameworks and induction resources), education and skills support (including the Youth Work Outcomes and Skills Framework), equalities and participation initiatives, and public health prevention work. Key platforms include the Impact Hub (showcasing impact across digital, education, employability, equality, and wellbeing areas), the Youth Work Hub (providing professional frameworks, national occupational standards, and induction resources), and a Learning Platform with courses. The organization also runs the National Youth Work Awards, publishes The Link Magazine annually, and produces Scotland's Youth Work Sector Manifesto 2026. Resource offerings include the AI Toolkit 2026 developed with young people.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- YouthLink Scotland: The National Agency for Youth Work in Scotland
Products and services
- Membership Programme
- National Grant Programmes
- Learning Platform
- Impact Hub
- Youth Work Hub
- Policy, Research and Influence Service
Quantifiable outcome
- 450,000+ young people impacted annually through youth work supported by the sector
Companies that use Youth link Scotland
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Youth link Scotland technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Youth link Scotland partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Scottish GovernmentcorePrimary government partner providing funding and policy direction. YouthLink Scotland administers Scottish Government funds including national grant programmes such as the Youth Arts Open Fund (£758,000) to respond to needs of the youth work sector.
- No Knives Better LivescoreCollaborative initiative addressing knife crime and positive masculinity. YouthLink Scotland supports this programme through resources including the 'Imagine a Man' campaign and summer safety materials.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Youth link Scotland competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Youth link Scotland social profiles
Digital presenceYouth link Scotland compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Youth link Scotland financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Youth link Scotland leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Youth link Scotland funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Youth link Scotland M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Youth link Scotland
What does Youth link Scotland do?
YouthLink Scotland is the national agency for youth work in Scotland, providing membership-based services to over 120 youth work organisations. The organisation administers Scottish Government grant programmes (including the £758,000 Youth Arts Open Fund), conducts policy research and advocacy, delivers training and professional development resources, maintains professional frameworks and occupational standards, and operates digital platforms including a Learning Platform, Youth Work Hub, and Impact Hub to support the youth work sector.
Is Youth link Scotland a public or private company?
Youth link Scotland is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Youth link Scotland founded?
Youth link Scotland was founded in 2004. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Youth link Scotland based?
Youth link Scotland is headquartered in Edinburgh, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Youth link Scotland make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Membership Fees are the primary driver. The others are scottish Government Grants Administration.
Does Youth link Scotland have an API?
No public API is recorded for Youth link Scotland.
What industry is Youth link Scotland in?
Youth link Scotland's product category is Youth Sector Advocacy and Membership Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGADAD, Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits, with a secondary code of BPAGADAM, Youth Justice, At-Risk Youth & Violence Prevention Nonprofits. Its NAICS code is 62411 and its SIC code is 8600.