About

Project Northern Lights is an attempt to help young people from disadvantaged backgrounds in Scotland escape a relentless cycle of crime and punishment. This project, led by Wildfox Events, is an example of businesses stepping into the funding gap left by government cuts to support a grassroots organisation (Muirhouse Youth Development Group) that works with young people at the heart of one of Scotland’s most deprived communities

The pilot project is being run with 10 young people from north Edinburgh in four stages:

Stage 1: Personal Training Young people from disadvantaged backgrounds in northern Edinburgh are currently working alongside skilled outdoor instructors and youth workers drawn from their communities to develop self-discipline, communication skills, teamwork, problem solving and coaching skills.

Stage 2: Expedition Training (24 – 29September) A core group of twelve young people will take part in an intensive residential programme of adventure activities in Perthshire, including survival training and team challenges.(3) This will build on the group’s team working skills as well as improve individual confidence and physical fitness levels. This stage will culminate in an expedition in the Scottish Highlands and the selection of eight young people to go forward.

Stage 3: The Sail (24th – 28th October) Ocean Youth Trust Scotland will take the final group on Alba Venturer for a week long voyage around the west coast of Scotland. The sail training voyage is a physical and emotional test that includes giving individuals responsibility for the boat and crew’s safety. The experience of life at sea is designed to help young people build their personal and social skills, gain recognised qualifications and truly broaden their horizons.

Stage 4: Follow up As well as gaining valuable life experiences, those who take part in Project Northern Lights will be able to improve their CV with summary of their achievements and a reference from Muirhouse Youth Development Group (MYDG) as their employer. MYDG will continue to offer ongoing support, including opportunities to gain industry recognised coaching qualifications in outdoor activities such as cycling, bike mechanics, first aid, football and swimming.

Ian Wilson (18)
“Project Northern Lights is very important for young people. If it wasn’t for the project’s activities like mountain biking we would be most likely causing trouble and doing stupid stuff. It gives us something to concentrate on, we have to all stick together and it is a lot of fun. I hope the project will grow bigger and become Scotland wide.”
Marcus Glancy (16)
“Project Northern Lights is keeping us out of trouble and in school. I wasn’t confident to start with but the project is building my confidence and I’m getting on with all the people in the group.”

Inquiries: projectnorthernlights@yahoo.co.uk