YPI, The Wood Foundation

As the 2024/25 academic year comes to a close, we are proud to reflect on the impact of The Wood Foundation’s Youth and Philanthropy Initiative (YPI) – the largest independent programme delivered through Scottish education.

This year, more than 40,000 young people from 280 Scottish secondary schools took part, directing vital funding and raising awareness for charities and causes close to their hearts, including mental health, poverty and domestic violence.

We strengthened our commitment to supporting educators, with a 50% increase in teacher engagement across 30 of Scotland’s 32 local authorities. Through webinars, in-person learning, and shared practice events, we have focused on meaningful professional learning opportunities that continue to enhance how YPI is delivered across the country. We have seen more schools than ever embedding YPI through cross-curricular and project-based learning (PBL) approaches, creating deeper, more connected experiences for young people.

Our data reinforces why we do what we do. More than 70% of young people who took part in YPI report believing they can make a difference and value working as part of a team towards a common goal.

Teachers share that 90% of pupils are now more confident in expressing their ideas clearly, and 80% are more comfortable sharing opinions, even when they differ from others. Charities tell us that YPI helps raise awareness of their work, with more than 80% highlighting its value in engaging young people.

We remain committed to ensuring YPI is a meaningful learning opportunity where every young person can thrive and recognise their value as an active citizen.

Thank you to everyone who made this year’s YPI possible – our Programme Officers, Lead Teachers, Head Teachers, charities, funders, and, most importantly, the young people.

We hope everyone has a relaxing summer and we look forward to another year of youth empowerment starting in August.