Global superstar Emeli Sandé performed to 1000 young people who were being recognised for the difference they have made to their communities throughout Scotland at the Youth & Philanthropy Initiative (YPI) Scotland National Event.
The celebration took place at the Perth Concert Hall and guests were treated to an acoustic set from the multi-Brit Award winning artist, as well as her thoughts on the importance of philanthropy and her own charitable work.
There were also performances from singer Callum Beattie and comedian Anna Devitt, as well as presentations from a number of schools.
Aberdeenshire-raised Emeli Sandé said:
“It was an honour to be invited to attend and perform at the YPI 10th anniversary event and to share the room with so many inspiring young people making a difference in their communities.
“YPI is a great platform to empower young people and equip them with the skills, attitude and outlook needed to thrive and contribute in the 21st century.”
YPI is the flagship initiative of The Wood Foundation. The event celebrated its 10th anniversary. In that time it has engaged 140,000 young people, channelling grants of £3.2m to hundreds of local charities.
Sir Ian Wood, Chairman of The Wood Foundation, said:
“It is wonderful to recognise the successes of young people over this past year, and across the full decade YPI has been active here in Scotland.
“We are incredibly proud of how the programme has empowered young people to have real impact in their communities, with 31,000 youngsters participating this year. YPI is often the starting point for lifelong philanthropy, engaging young people in social causes and committing to making change.
“We would like to offer our sincere thanks to Emeli Sandé who is a fantastic role model for everyone at the event, as well as our other performers and, most importantly, the inspirational young people who so confidently shared their YPI stories on stage.”
YPI is an active citizenship programme which raises awareness among young people about philanthropy and the needs of their local communities. Each year every participating school is responsible for directing a £3000 YPI grant to a local charity through a unique programme of teamwork, research and competition. In the past year, more than 31,000 young people in 230 schools across each of Scotland’s 32 local authorities directed £700,000 in grants for causes they care about. A further 30 schools will adopt the programme which is one of the biggest and most successful initiatives being delivered in Scotland’s schools.