Young Scot Awards 2025 Ceremony

All nominees will be celebrated at a special awards ceremony held at Platform in Glasgow in June. This event will bring together young changemakers from all over Scotland, where the winners will be announced live! Thank you to Tomato Energy for sponsoring the mocktail reception for the finalists and their friends and families. If you would like to purchase a ticket to attend, please do get in touch.

Health & Wellbeing (Planet Youth in Scotland)

Young people who are making a difference in mental or physical health, supporting wellness, or helping others thrive.

The young people of St. Philip’s School in North Lanarkshire embody remarkable dedication to supporting their peers and the wider community. Through their involvement in various activities, they promote health, wellbeing and social responsibility. Their selfless contributions include volunteering with St. Vincent de Paul to support individuals and families in need, organising fundraisers, and providing hands-on assistance. They also play a key role in supporting local foodbanks, organising food drives and volunteering to sort and distribute donations. Additionally, their active participation in the school’s football team fosters teamwork, discipline and fitness.

Ellie Hodge, 15, from Clackmannanshire, is an inspiring young leader who has transformed her own shyness into a powerful force for good. Once struggling to attend school, Ellie took on a leadership role at her school breakfast club, ensuring students with Extended Additional Support Needs (EASN) were included. She learned Makaton to communicate with non-verbal students and completed Sighted Guide training to support her peers further. Ellie also supports school holiday activities and outside school, she volunteers with Active Stirling, plans holiday camps, and coaches football, focusing on patience and inclusion. She also volunteers with Guide Dogs Scotland and leads dance fitness classes for adults with additional support needs.

Chawan Aziz, 16, from Glasgow, is a dedicated young advocate for children with cystic fibrosis (CF), driven by a family member’s experience with the condition. She joined the Cystic Fibrosis Trust’s Youth Advisory Group (YAG) two and a half years ago and has since played a key role in creating a medical dictionary for children aged 6 to 9 with CF, set to be published soon. Her contributions extend to shaping a psychological research study, writing scripts for educational films, reviewing CF content for a new GCSE textbook, and designing workshops. Chawan also raises awareness and funds for the Trust, having organised successful school events. As the only Scottish YAG member, her passion, creativity, and commitment continue to inspire.

Equality & Diversity (sponsored by Enable Works)

Young people who are promoting inclusion, challenging discrimination and helping to create a fairer society for everyone. 

Kai Esslemont, 16, from Moray, is a remarkable example of resilience and community spirit. Despite facing a chromosome 16 deficiency and learning difficulties, Kai is a dedicated volunteer. As a Youth Police Volunteer, he helps build safer communities, and he also volunteers weekly with Outfit Moray, maintaining bikes and assisting around the yard. On weekends, Kai supports sustainability efforts at Waste Busters, the local recycling centre. He attends school full-time in a learning support base and enjoys music, especially tuning into MFR radio. Kai’s enthusiasm for new opportunities makes him a role model and a young person whose impact deserves recognition.

Young People’s Advisory Board (The Fostering Network Scotland), 16 to 21-years-old. This group of six young people, all with lived experience of foster care or as children of foster carers, meet regularly to drive change in the care system. Volunteering their time, they work to ensure care-experienced young people are supported, heard and valued – challenging stigma, improving transitions and advocating for trauma-informed practice. They’ve influenced national policy through consultations with Scottish Government officials, including the Minister for Children and The Promise, Natalie Don. They also helped review “Skills to Foster,” a UK-wide training tool for new carers.

The Tartan Class, 14 to 17-years-old, East Lothian, is a remarkable group of eight young people from the Additional Support Needs (ASN) base, each navigating significant mobility and learning challenges. Through the “What Matters to Us” Children’s Rights and Participation project, they’ve shown creativity, humour and courage by championing the rights of disabled young people in their community. They created a powerful animated film reflecting their experiences and needs around accessibility and inclusion and presented it publicly – despite initial nerves. One pupil even introduced the film at a local event, supported by teachers and families. Their resilience and advocacy have sparked vital conversations and left a lasting impact, setting an inspiring example of youth-led change.

Sport & Physical Activity (sponsored by sportscotland)

A sports star or a young person dedicated to promoting physical activity! 

Rebecca Bradley, 20, from Glasgow, is dedicated to making judo more inclusive and accessible. She secured funding from Judo Scotland to launch a women-only session that quickly filled up and now has a growing waitlist, providing a safe and supportive space for women and girls – particularly those aged 35 to 50, a group often overlooked in sport. Rebecca also runs free judo classes for refugees, supported by the Loretta Doyle Foundation, promoting integration and wellbeing. A back-to-back Scottish champion, she now gives back by volunteering as a coach at Clyde Judo Club several evenings a week.

Aidan and Ciaran Lennan, 14 and 17-years-old, Highland. Brothers Aidan and Ciaran from Inverness are elite athletes competing for Kickboxing GB. Aidan is a four-time WAKO World Champion, earning his first double world title in Italy on his 15th birthday, then European gold in Turkey, and reclaiming his double title in Budapest at 16. Ciaran won silver at the same championships. Both are multiple Scottish and British champions, having trained since early childhood and travelled across the UK to compete. Aidan overcame serious early medical complications after a difficult birth and is now studying to become a PE teacher. Ciaran, born with a heart defect and severe asthma, uses kickboxing to manage his health.

Fraser Jamieson, 22, from Glasgow, has achieved a huge milestone – representing Team GB in freestyle snowboarding at the FISU World Championships in Italy in January 2025. A British champion and BUCS winner, Fraser has snowboarded since he was eight and continues to excel through pure determination and love for the sport. Despite several injuries and no external funding, he self-finances all his training and travel, showing remarkable grit and resilience. His journey is proof that passion and hard work can overcome barriers, making him not only an exceptional athlete but a true role model for young people.

Seren McNaught, 16, from Clackmannanshire, has shown outstanding dedication to her community through over four years of volunteering with Active Clacks. Starting after a primary school leadership programme, Seren has supported holiday activities across the year while balancing school, now giving 3–4 hours weekly at Fir Park ASN lessons and also helping with the Rainbows group and Sport and Leisure team. She regularly attends CPD training to improve her skills and has logged 321+ hours with the Saltire Awards. Though not a competitive athlete, she’s achieved her gold bar in Highland dancing and uses her positivity and empathy to build strong relationships with children and make sport more inclusive. Seren’s kindness, energy and long-term commitment to helping others make her a valued role model and a truly inspiring nominee.

Community (sponsored by Police Scotland) 

Recognising young people who give back to their community, support neighbours or inspire local change. 

Girls Who Walk, Dundee is a grassroots group tackling loneliness and isolation among women through inclusive events and walking groups. Since launching in August 2023, they’ve hosted over 70 fully booked walks and events, reaching more than a thousand women. Activities like speed friending, yoga and craft club help attendees build friendships and boost wellbeing. Run by founder Natalie and a small volunteer team alongside full-time jobs, the group also raises funds for causes like Dundee Women’s Aid. Their passion has created a powerful, supportive movement that’s transforming lives across the city.

Sky Goodlad, 18, Fife, is an extraordinary young leader who has turned personal adversity into powerful community action. Growing up in care and facing homelessness, domestic violence and addiction, Sky overcame immense challenges. Rather than be held back, she used her experience to drive change, especially around drug-related deaths and stigma. Sky secured £20,000 in funding for peer-led research with Stirling University, trained as a peer researcher, and led interviews with young people impacted by substance use. She’s organised Drug Death Awareness Days, co-created an accessible research magazine, and influenced a documentary. Sky co-developed a national stigma toolkit, including a board game to challenge bias.

Project Sonrisa, 18-24, North Lanarkshire is a transformative force in mental health awareness, using creative arts to break down stigma and foster important conversations. Their work has created a safe space for young people across Scotland, providing support for those facing mental health challenges and promoting inclusivity. Their initiatives, including the Our Minds documentary, highlight underrepresented mental health topics, such as the challenges faced by LGBTQ+ individuals and people of faith. This documentary was even selected for an international film festival, underscoring its global relevance. Their recent Intersectionality Roadtrip project explores how race, gender, sexuality, and class intersect to impact mental health.

Caitlin Turner, 24, from East Ayrshire, is a passionate leader in marine conservation. Since 2018, she has been a Sea Champion for the Marine Conservation Society, driving action through beach cleans, citizen science, and campaigning. Caitlin represented Scotland on the World Ocean Day Youth Advisory Council and is now a Trustee for Young Sea Changers Scotland, empowering young voices to protect our seas. A volunteer for British Divers Marine Life Rescue, she also advocates independently for stronger marine protections, drawing on her experience as a young carer from a low-income background. At the University of Stirling, Caitlin founded the first Marine Conservation Society group, raising over £4,000 for causes and removing hundreds of kilograms of waste from beaches.

Robert Tulloch, 11, from Perth and Kinross, is a passionate beekeeper. After discovering beekeeping with his dad, he became an active member of his school’s gardening group and a rising star in Scotland’s beekeeping community. Robert won a national competition to design a cover for The Beekeeper magazine, using his £150 prize to buy tools, and he’s also making beeswax candles, donating profits to the community. His enthusiasm shines through in his work, including a PowerPoint on the invasive Asian Hornet, which he presented to beginner beekeepers. In 2025, he’ll take his first beekeeping exams and is connecting with beekeepers in South Africa and Kenya. His passion helped his village earn recognition in the Beautiful Scotland Awards.

Change in Blackburn Youth Committee, 11 to 19-years-old, from West Lothian, are a powerful example of young people driving real change. Meeting weekly, they support everything from holiday programmes to local events, volunteering at the Community Shop to create positive change in Blackburn. They played a key role in the Climate Action Towns initiative, working with Architecture & Design Scotland over three years, shaping outcomes and embedding sustainability in their work, including litter picks and a greenhouse made from recycled materials. Their Mental Health Conference for local P6 and P7 pupils was a huge success, securing funding, inviting speakers, and providing wellbeing journals for every child.

Muminah Koleoso, 23, from Dumfries and Galloway, is a powerful force in Scotland’s cultural landscape. A Nigerian-British poet, writer and content creator, Muminah explores identity, heritage and lived experience, focusing on Black Muslim women’s stories. Her writing has been featured in Black Ballad, Bookstr, Vericane and Friday, with poetry in Young Writers’ Anthologies and Gypsophila. A New2theScene Poetry Competition finalist, Muminah has performed at the Cymera Festival, Edinburgh International Book Festival, and Push the Boat Out. In 2025, she’ll perform at the Brown Shuga Books Festival and be part of the Pass the Mic Writer’s Cohort. Muminah also runs a monthly Instagram Live open mic, amplifying Muslim and BPOC women’s voices.

Kyle Blain, 22, from Clackmannanshire, is a talented artist using his work to uplift and inspire his community. Currently studying Fine Art at Glasgow School of Art, Kyle has held three successful solo exhibitions, earning praise for his bold, expressive art. What sets him apart is his selfless commitment to others – he regularly volunteers at local schools and nurseries, sharing his creative process and helping children bring their visions to life. Kyle has also donated art to Forth Valley Royal Hospital in memory of his grandad, offering comfort to patients and staff, and created a mural for a local care home, which has brought joy and stimulation to residents.

Afristyle Dance Club, 14 to 17-years-old, from Aberdeen, are champions of cultural celebration and creativity. Through their dedication to Afristyle Dance, they’ve not only developed their own talents but inspired others to connect through dance. Performing at weddings, community events, they’ve brought joy to many while balancing school life. Their impact extends beyond entertainment, as they’ve organised mini concerts at care homes, volunteered for community causes, and fundraised through workshops and charity events. They’ve also mentored younger dancers and taken on leadership roles, such as writing Aberdeen City Council’s Youth Grant report.