The Wood Foundation creates education programmes that help young people in Scotland see what they are capable of and take part in shaping what comes next.
The Wood Foundation’s programmes are shaped by a clear understanding of where support can make a meaningful difference.
Some begin with a gap in the education system. Some respond to what schools or communities tell us they need. Others are designed to test new approaches and build learning that can be shared more widely.
Across every programme, the focus remains the same: creating better experiences and stronger outcomes for young people in Scotland.
The Wood Foundation not only funds activity. Where there is a clear need, we develop programmes that can respond with depth and long-term commitment.
That means working closely with schools, educators, partners and young people to understand what will be useful in practice.
Our programmes are designed to create change that can be felt in classrooms and communities, and positively impact the choices young people make for their future.
Each programme is different, but our role is consistent.
We listen carefully, build strong partnerships and invest in work that has the potential to make a lasting difference.
For some programmes, that means national reach. For others, it means focused investment in a particular place or part of the education system. What matters is that the work is grounded in real need and shaped around the people it is designed to support.
YPI is The Wood Foundation’s active citizenship programme for Scottish secondary schools. It gives young people the chance to understand local issues, choose a charity they believe in and make the case for why it should receive funding.
Through YPI, pupils experience philanthropy as something active and personal. They learn that their voice matters, and that they can use it to support change in their own community.
RAiSE was a national primary science programme supported by The Wood Foundation and partners. It helped primary teachers feel more confident delivering science, so more pupils could experience STEM as exciting and possible from an early age.
The programme has now concluded, but its legacy continues through the confidence built in classrooms and the learning shared across Scotland.
Excelerate was a seven-year investment by The Wood Foundation, working with secondary schools in the North-east of Scotland. It explored what becomes possible when schools have sustained support to connect learning more closely with life beyond the classroom.
The programme has now concluded, with its impact report sharing what was learned about school change, professional learning and preparing young people for the future.
The Wood Foundation’s programmes are built through close involvement, not distance.
When we create a programme, we work with partners to shape its purpose, guide its development and learn from what happens in practice. This allows each programme to respond to real-world conditions while staying focused on long-term impact for young people in Scotland.
Alongside our own programme-led work, we also support wider investments and partnerships that align with our purpose. These sit separately from our programmes, but they reflect the same belief: that thoughtful, long-term philanthropy can help create better opportunities and support meaningful change.
If you would like to learn more about The Wood Foundation’s programmes or speak to us about work that supports young people in Scotland, please get in touch.
We welcome conversations with people and organisations who share our interest in creating lasting opportunity through education.