Live Argyll Community Learning Services Update
Argyll and Bute Council · 12 August 2025
Back to Bute and Cowal Area Community Planning Group — 12 August 2025 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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Community Learning Live Argyll Update Dunoon Update Ben Nevis A group of Cowal young people met up with young people from Helensburgh and Campbeltown to “Bag” Ben Nevis. Led by 2 mountain leaders and supported by liveArgyll Youth Work staff, the group completed the climb in 6.5hours raising funds for their local Youth Action Groups. Bute Camping Trip Groups from Bute, Campbeltown and Helensburgh met up on Bute for a 3 day camping trip. The trip encompassed outdoor learning opportunities for the young people as well as building relationships, teamwork (erecting tents), campcraft and responsible camping. Summer GIVE Another successful programme took place 16-25 July. The programme was shortened to a 2 week programme rather than the usual 3 due other commitments (Ben Nevis and Bute Camping Trip). Very well attended with a total of 66 young people taking part and again a wide spread of young people from the new S1 cohort through to S4. 65% of attendees had previously attended the programme either in October 2024 or Easter 2025. The programme encompassed the usual structure of volunteering and reward trips as well as a workshop on Knife Crime, delivered by PC Wells, Youth Engagement Officer, Police Scotland and an information session on the impact of Vaping on young people’s health. The group took part in two volunteering activities a Kindness Rocks project with the painted rocks being paced in and around Dunoon for the public to find and beach clean at West Bay. The young people also took part in a Citizen’s Survey for the beach clean, recording the different types of litter collected for Keep Scotland Beautiful’s Upstream Battle project. The data has also been shared with Dunoon Community Development Trust. I have included the data below for information:
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Social 22 The new Youth Space based at Dunoon Foodbank has been open since the end of March. Open every Friday night 6-9pm, Social 22 offers young people a safe and inclusive space to hangout with friends, play pool, fussball, board games, PS4, Wii as well as arts and crafts. Numbers have been steady and since opening, 181 young people age 12-16 have accessed Social 22. Wider Achievement and Attainment Strategy Supporting both DGS and Active Schools with the Wider Achievement offer of Youth Achievement Awards and Dynamic Youth Awards. Sports Leaders from DGS will be involved with in an upcoming intergenerational project with residents from Ardnahein Care Home in Dunoon which will include a Highland Games event and a programme of chair exercise classes. Youth Action Group The priority for the next few months will be to recruit young people to establish Cowal Youth Action Group, following the model already operating in Campbeltown and Bute. Information sessions will be held in Dunoon Grammar as well as inputs into Modern Studies classes. Once the young people have been recruited, other youth groups from across Cowal will be invited to nominate 2 representatives to attend full Youth Council Meetings which will be held quarterly. The youth council will host local councillor’s/decision makers every 4 months to consult on local youth issues.