Community Gathering

Get your ticket!

Our Community Gathering is back for 2026 and this year we’re heading to the capital!

Saturday 5th September, 10am-4.30pm Grassmarket Community Project, Edinburgh.

See below for what to expect or check out our Eventbrite for the full programme and ticket info!

Buy your ticket here

Building a community of young ocean advocates

We aim to create a diverse, self-directed youth community that shares knowledge, supports peer-led action, and collaborates to address marine issues.

Our annual Community Gathering is a key event in the Young Sea Changers Scotland calendar and an opportunity to strengthen our community and inspire the next generation to advocate for our seas. With members based across Scotland, coming together in person is extremely important in building meaningful connections and creating a strong sense of belonging within our community.

The gathering is designed to be a fun, relaxed, and energising space where young people can build new skills, share ideas, and leave feeling inspired and empowered to take action for our seas.

We hold the gathering in different locations every year, provide support for travel costs, and design a diverse programme of workshops. We also invite an MSP guest to give attendees an opportunity to put their questions directly to a decision-maker!

Community Gathering 2026 - what to expect

Travel support

If you need help getting to Edinburgh for the event, we’ve got you covered! We can provide up to £25 for travel costs. Just answer the question when buying your ticket and we’ll get in touch! If this isn't enough to cover your costs and you wouldn't be able to attend otherwise, get in touch and we can chat about it - contact@youthforseas.org.

As always, this year we have an exciting programme lined up for the Gathering! We will have a relaxed and informal day with plenty of time for teas and coffees, socialising, skill-building and advocacy planning - the perfect line up to get you geared up for ocean advocacy!

Highlights on the programme this year include:

  • Members sharing space to hear what others have been up to

  • Advocacy skills workshops with experts in the field, including:

  • MSP Roundtable with Sanne Dijkstra-Downie, Lib Dem MSP for Edinburgh Northern

  • Group campaign and advocacy planning to plan the next wave of youth-led ocean action!

  • Plenty of breaks for tea, coffee, biscuits and socialising

  • Veggie/vegan lunch provided!

Accessibility

We want to make our events as inclusive and accessible as possible. We've planned in lots of break times during the day and we'd also really encourage everyone attending to do what they need to do and opt in and out of whichever sessions they'd like to. We'll share pronouns, encourage the use of lanyards, headphones, fidget spinners and other tools, have a mixture of quiet and chatty sessions, amplification system and written materials, gender neutral facilities and level access. If you have any specific access needs let us know!

Buy your ticket here

Highlights from 2025 Gathering in Glasgow

  • Cabinet Secretary Gillian Martin participates in roundtable discussion

  • YSCS Member Issie

  • Young Sea Changers Trainee Jess Shaw delivering a wonderful talk

  • YSCS member Alex

  • Campaigner Laura Anderson gave a fantastic workshop on using social media for advocacy

  • YSCS member Jamie shared his experience of running a project through the Youth Ocean Action Fund

  • Lots of helpful resources available for attendees!

  • Rhys Saunderson from Young Friends of the Earth Scotland gave n inspiring workshop on campaigning 101.

  • Attendees were asked what marine issues they care about!

  • The Scottish Wildlife Trust ran a workshop on ocean literacy.

  • We kept it light and silly!

  • YSCS Members and Cab Sec Gillian Martin

Highlights from 2024 Gathering in Dundee

  • The YSCS staff and trustee team on the day

  • We ran an interactive marine policy workshop to get to grips with all things policy & advocacy!

  • YSCS Trustee Caitlin

  • Lovely venue at Dundee Contemporary Arts

  • Our Zine-making workshop run by artist Christina Riley

  • Campaigning workshop run by Hayley Wolcott from the Our Seas coalition

  • Lots of time to chat and have fun!

  • We held a panel with all our guest speakers at the end

  • YSCS members Alex and Callum

  • YSCS members with MSP Mark Ruskell!