In this blog Sara Vanatta, Children’s Neighbourhoods Scotland Local Coordinator for Castlemilk, gives an introduction to her collaborations with local youth work professionals at Castlemilk Youth Complex, bringing the Capabilities Approach to Castlemilk.

At Children’s Neighbourhoods Scotland, we take a partnership approach to our work in communities.

Successful collaboration ensures that we reach children and young people in spaces where they feel safe. It also highlights excellent services that already exist within neighbourhoods.

In Castlemilk, I’ve had the opportunity to engage in some very exciting partnership work with the local youth services hub – Castlemilk Youth Complex (CYC).

Alongside Ben Murphy, one of our CNS Research Assistants, I’m bringing the Capabilities Approach to the Community Youth Work Class at CYC. Students from Castlemilk High School and St. Margaret Mary’s Secondary School take the course to learn principles of community development in a hands-on environment.

Kirsty Chapman, a youth worker at CYC, has supported us in co-designing our session plans and co-facilitating the groups. We’re sharing and learning from each other’s expertise in participation and engagement. CNS has been able to enrich the programming of a local organisation that’s already offering high quality services for children and young people.

At the same time, the students are making connections between the capabilities approach and projects they’re already working on in class.

Read the full blog on the Children’s Neighbourhoods Scotland website