Bridges Project

29/05/2026

Massive congratulations to Shea on being awarded the Young Volunteer of the Year Award at Volunteer Centre East Lothian's Inspiring Volunteer Awards 🥳🏆

Shea has also been a star volunteer with Bridges Project for several years and the award is fully deserved 🤩 Shea is a real asset to the community 👏

Congratulations to Shea for being awarded the young volunteer at Volunteer Centre East Lothian Inspiring Volunteers Awards, a very well earned award for the fantastic support you give to other young people. We feel really lucky that you volunteer with us.

29/05/2026

Our Art Group continues to provide young people with a safe space where they can connect with others in a relaxing setting while still developing their skills and building their confidence 💜

Over the past few weeks, young people in the Art Group have really got into the creative spirit and made everything from origami to candles 🕯️ They have even done their bit for the environment by making art out of recycled materials ♻️

The Art Group is part of our Group Programme 😊

28/05/2026

This week's Throwback Thursday quote is from the parent of a young person working with our Bridges Works programme 🤗

Bridges Works is funded by East Lothian Council's One Council Partnership Fund!

27/05/2026

Yesterday, we said goodbye to our placement students Kerra and Eve 🥲👋

The farewell was a special one. Not only did it conclude their four-month placement as part of their HNC Working in Communities course with Edinburgh College but it also marked the end of a continuous long-term engagement (at least for now!) with Bridges Project for Kerra and Eve.

Kerra has been with us since 2022. She started out receiving support from Bridges Project but soon went on to become one of our key volunteers as a Young Ambassador and Listening Peers Mentor. She also did her placement for her Personal Development Award in Youth Work with us.

Eve joined us as a volunteer in 2024 and also became an integral part of out Listening Peers Mentors and Young Ambassadors teams.

Throughout the last four months, Kerra and Eve have been assisting with planning, delivering and evaluating group sessions at Bridges Project. They have both been developing and running their own groups, with Kerra taking the lead on the Budget Bites group and Eve being responsible for the Out & About group. Both groups were a massive success 🌟

Both as volunteers and placement students, Kerra and Eve have been a great part of our team and have brought a unique level of relatability to the other young people they have been working with 🤗

Kerra and Eve received a proper send-off from the rest of the Bridges Project team with cakes and traybakes made by our Young Carers Support Worker Rachael and Practice Manager Lynne 🍰😋

We're pleased Eve will be back volunteering with us in the autumn and hope to welcome Kerra back in the future too! But first, Kerra will be off to the USA to work at Camp America! ✈️ 🇺🇸 All the best of luck!

A huge THANK YOU to Kerra and Eve for everything you have done for Bridges Project over the years 🤩

26/05/2026

One of the milestones of the support journey for young people who work with Bridges Project on a one-to-one basis is the completion of the Your Story form 📝

Your Story asks young people several questions about their background and current situation. This does not only allow our workers to get to know young people better but it also enables them to tailor the support they provide to each young person in the most holistic, bespoke and person-centred way possible ✨️ This again informs the Action Plan young people create together with their worker, which works as a guide for their individual support journey.

Rhyley, who works with our Project Officer Connie from the Bridges Opportunities programme, has just completed his Your Story form ✅️ He now has a plan in place and will continue to meet Connie weekly at North Berwick High School to work on his Dynamic Youth Award!

Paul Hamlyn Foundation

25/05/2026

✨ Programme Spotlight: Bridges Works ✨

📍 Area covered: East Lothian
👥 Age range: 13-21

ℹ️ Support for young people to identify and pursue their career path and gain the skills and confidence needed to move on to employment, apprenticeships or further education. Delivered through one-to-one sessions and sector-specific courses.

❓Did you know? Last year, Bridges Works helped 10 young people secure a job, apprenticeship or work experience placement!

💷 Funded by East Lothian Council's One Council Partnership Fund

❗️ Please note that all our programmes have waiting lists. 23 young people are currently on the waiting list for Bridges Works.

22/05/2026

The Out & About Group finished with a scavenger hunt around Newhailes House & Gardens NTS in the glorious sunshine 🔍 ☀️

It marked the end of four weeks of outdoor learning, socialising and skills development!

The group was brilliantly led by Eve, one of our placement students 🙌 It was also supported by our Group Support Worker Stuart 😊

21/05/2026

Throwback to when we were helping out at Musselburgh Horticultural Society's plant sale a couple of Saturdays ago🪴

In what's becoming an annual tradition, a team of Bridges Project staff, placement students and young people volunteered to assist with making and selling teas and coffees at the event 🫖

Here are Employability Support Worker Sarah and placement student Kerra in action 🫡

As always, everyone thoroughly enjoyed the experience!

Thank you to Musselburgh Horticultural Society for having us for another year 🤝

Musselburgh Horticultural Society - Community

20/05/2026

Last week, we were honoured to welcome Lady Eilish Angiolini, Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, for a visit to Bridges Project!

Lady Angiolini was welcomed by Lord-Lieutenant of East Lothian, Roderick Urquhart, and was given a tour around the building by our CEO Emma. During this tour, she met and talked with staff, Trustees, volunteers and young people to learn more about what we do and the impact we have on young people's lives. She also got the chance to see (and sample!) some of our young people's baking and witness our Gaming Group in action 🧁 🎮

We were pleased to hear that Lady Angiolini left Bridges Project inspired by our work ✨

Bridges Project would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Her Grace for visiting us and to East Lothian Lieutenancy for facilitating the visit 🤝

19/05/2026

A new round of the Build You Up construction employability course has started!

Last week's session focused on discussing the different ways to access the construction industry and roles within it 👷‍♀️

Young people also constructed towers out of various different blocks 🏗 Check out how sturdy they were 😏

Build You Up is delivered by our Spark Your Future programme, funded by East Lothian Council's Employability Grants Programme as part of The Scottish Government's No One Left Behind funding!