The Programme

Young people in Scotland have the chance to inspire, lead and mentor their peers through the creation and delivery of STEM activities, events and interactions within their schools, communities or youth groups.

As well as allowing Young STEM Leaders (YSLs) to develop important leadership, communication and employability skills, working towards a YSLP Award will also motivate young people to progress their STEM studies and perhaps eventually embark on a career in STEM.

Above all else, this programme aims to promote STEM curiosity in young people and to encourage them to learn about the world around them in a fun and engaging way.

Download the YSLP Handbook

The YSLP is offered in two versions:

Non-formal version
digitally badged or certificated

Find out more

Formal version
SCQF credit rated by SQA

Find out more

Who can take part?

The programme is open to all young people in Scotland and it can be delivered within a school, community or youth group setting. It can be integrated with existing awards and programmes that a young person may hold or be working towards. Centres are encouraged to decide the most appropriate level to offer their young people. The Project Team at SSERC can support with this decision.

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What does a Young STEM Leader do?

At all levels of the programme, Young STEM Leaders will create, plan and deliver one or more STEM activity, event or interaction for other people. From STEM clubs and events for tens or hundreds of participants to one-on-one interactions, throughout the process Young STEM Leaders will develop skills in mentoring, communication and leadership.

Evidencing the journey

Young STEM Leaders will collate evidence in their Log, which can be completed digitally on the YSLP website, on paper or by submitting photos, videos or other digital media.

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Supporting Young STEM Leaders

To deliver the Young STEM Leader Programme, a Delivering Centre needs to have one or more trained Tutor Assessors (TAs) to deliver the programme and complete internal verification. Tutor Assessors will support YSLs, deliver front-loaded learning, provide resources and approve evidence.