Leadership and volunteering

The Scottish Government's awards for young volunteers aged 11 to 25: sign up for a free My Saltire account, log volunteering hours and apply for certificates signed by Scottish Government Ministers.

• Grades not published
• Cost not published

A ten-month creative programme at the National Portrait Gallery for 16-21-year-olds, with a £600 bursary, hands-on work with gallery teams and a co-hosted Youth Late event.

• Year 12–13 / S5–S6
• No fee

Join a local 4-H club in Manitoba for hands-on projects, meetings run by members, leadership and community events.

• Grades not published
• Fee: $95 CAD

A volunteer youth council run by the Port Moody-Coquitlam Member of Parliament where young people aged 15-18 discuss national issues and take on community projects.

• Grades not published
• No fee

A six-day overnight model parliament where youth debate bills using Westminster procedure.

• Grades not published
• Cost not published

Youth For Understanding Türkiye sends lise students aged 15-18 abroad for a year, semester, trimester or short program with a volunteer host family; 2027-2028 applications are open.

• Grades 9–12
• Fee charged, amount not published

A voluntary youth board for S2 to S5 pupils in Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire who advise TechFest and Aberdeen Science Centre on STEM events and ideas; registration for 2026-27 has closed.

• S3–S5
• Cost not published

A free creative programme at Theatre Royal Stratford East where 15-19 year-olds living in Newham devise a new piece of theatre with professional practitioners and share it on the main stage. Applications and auditions for the 2026 ensemble have closed.

• Year 11–13
• No fee

A week-long American Legion Auxiliary civics and leadership program in which West Virginia high-school juniors run a mock state government — campaigning, holding elections, writing bills and running cities and counties.

• Grade 11
• Cost not published

Free evening making sessions at V&A East Storehouse for 16-24 year-olds who live, work or study in east London, with an artist-led workshop each month. No experience needed and all materials are provided.

• Year 12–13
• No fee

The national student leadership conference of the Canadian Student Leadership Association, held each fall at Camp White Pine near Haliburton, Ontario.

• Grades not published
• Fee: $500 CAD

Miyazaki Prefecture's subsidised eight-day overseas training trips for prefectural high school students: global-leader courses (USA, Singapore), global-entrepreneur courses (Vietnam, Taiwan) and a farm-stay course (Australia), at about 100,000 yen per participant.

• Grades 10–12
• Fee: ¥100,000