A leading Scottish Borders youth charity has opened its new home thanks to support from South of Scotland Enterprise.  

SOSE has provided financial support of £7,881 to Tweeddale Youth Action to complete phase one of the redevelopment of its Innerleithen base, located in a Category C Listed building.  

The redevelopment has helped them to sustain the charity’s important work with children and young adults in the Tweeddale area, providing a safe space for all.   

Who is Tweeddale Youth Action? 

• Tweeddale Youth Action deliver a vast number of projects and activities for young people aged 10 to 25, helping support them on the journey from childhood to adulthood.   
• As a registered charity, the financial support they receive allows the organisation to provide all of these services for free, allowing anyone in the age bracket to get involved regardless of circumstance.  
• The organisation runs two free membership Scottish Borders-based youth clubs – one in Peebles and one in Innerleithen.  
• As well as financial support from fundraising and grants, they also operate two social enterprises – Bike Punks and Food Punks.  
• These social enterprises help the young people involved to develop their communication, work ethic and teamworking skills, while generating income to go back into the charity.   

SOSE first started engagement with the group in 2021 alongside Scottish Borders Council.  

From the initial discussion, SOSE provided support with community asset development to market research and business and recovery planning. 

Dave Hodson, Locality Manager at Tweeddale Youth Action, said:   

“SOSE have been hugely supportive of the work we do with children and young people and they have been an invaluable source of advice and support over the past couple of years. 

“The financial support given to us by SOSE has enabled us to repair our flooring and re-open our Innerleithen Youth Club. This has allowed us to support ever increasing cohorts of young people and given us access once again to our Bike Punks metalwork workshop and Food Punks commercial kitchen. 

“We are now looking to the future and are continuing to receive support and guidance from SOSE on our phase two plans to marry the needs of our communities, young people and Food Punk and Bike Punk projects.  

“This will aim to create a welcoming space for young people that will sit at the heart of Innerleithen’s community. 

“SOSE Community Development Officers, Jan Pringle and Lisa Denham have been a pleasure to work with. They are sources of well informed, helpful advice and good cheer. I really feel like they get us.” 

Lisa Denham, Community Development Advisor at SOSE added: 

“With Tweeddale Youth Action having taken ownership of their own building this year, this sets down a marker and gives a future legacy of youth enterprise within Innerleithen and Tweeddale.   

“Our support will help protect these services and help the organisation move towards becoming more self-sufficient by generating income through their successful Food Punks and Bike Punks enterprises, which gives young people essential employability and life skills.”