Tuesday 10 February was a busy day out and about for some of our team, representing the youth theatre sector at both YouthLink Scotland’s Digital Youth Work Conference and at SCVO’s Gathering.
We gained new knowledge to share with our members on the use of AI in youth work spaces, mental health in leadership, digital policy, as well as the updates to charity law.
We asked those in the know to write up their reflections from both events for the benefit of the wider sector, so here’s what they had to say about the sessions they attended.
The Gathering: Christabel’s Takeaways
“Despite working in the charity sector for many years, this was my first time at The Gathering. I think when you work in the arts, you can put the emphasis on the arts side rather than focusing on the charity side of your work. So, I really enjoyed getting a wider perspective and seeing how much the charity sector has in common and how strong the network is.
I attended a mix of issue-specific (Staying Safe Online and Charity Law) sessions and a broad look at current issues during the Hustings event ahead of the May elections.
The Charity Law session focused on the changes brought in by the 2023 legislation and the new obligation to provide trustee details to OSCR. While the process is relatively straightforward, it was acknowledged that across the charity sector this represents a large amount of administration. And all at a time when new requirements from Companies House are also adding extra work.
This theme was picked up at the Hustings with sector workers expressing frustration that increasing regulation and admin tasks are not being met with an increase in resource, both in terms of money and staff time. A particular issue is the introduction of Fair Work regulation and the pay levels being expected by the Government, who are cutting funding at the same time. These challenges were recognised by the panel of MSPs, who voiced their support for the charity sector although there are no easy answers.
So, while the challenges across the sector were highlighted at The Gathering, it was good to see how much these frustrations are shared. There was a feeling of unity at the event and a real insight into all the resources and support we can provide to help each other.”
Christabel Anderson, Company Manager
The Gathering: Zoë’s Takeaways
“Last week I attended The Gathering and found two sessions particularly valuable for YTAS and our members: AI Policy, and Mental Health in Leadership.
The AI Policy session explored developing responsible AI policies, emphasising the importance of involving diverse stakeholders (including our members), transparency about AI usage, robust data protection, and questioning whether we can upskill staff rather than defaulting to AI solutions.
The Mental Health in Leadership session focused on creating psychologically safe workplaces through proactive leadership. By this I mean noticing changes in team members, embedding mental health conversations into everyday practice, and creating space for people to reach their own conclusions rather than jumping to solutions. A key takeaway: distinguishing between facts and the stories we tell ourselves, and asking “are you looking for a solution, or just space to talk?”, noting that providing space for people to often find their own solution fosters an empowered team as well as a supportive workplace ethos.
Both sessions reinforced the importance of intentional, people-centred approaches whether we’re adopting new technology or supporting our teams.”
Zoë Farrugia, Projects Producer
Digital Youth Work Conference: Jo’s Takeaways
“Infrastructure, ethics, and creativity was at the heart of conversation at Youthlink’s Digital Youth Work conference of 2026. It was interesting to hear from the IncludePlus network on the need for work with young people to be further embedded within the UK’s digital policy landscape. It was useful to have the opportunity to explore how emerging digital tools might enhance creative practice and support youth engagement.
YTAS met with the teams from the Raspberry Pi Foundation, and from Digital Xtra and discussed how national youth coding hubs and resources could easily translate into youth theatre in terms of cross-artform performance, as well as the development of technical and production skills across set design, construction and FX/LX programming.”
Jo Walmsley, CEO