Resources for: Learning and Employability and Age 12-17
Find out about support available if you are looking for a job or want to find out more about learning opportunities that can help on your journey towards work.
Bellsmyre Development Trust
Bellsmyre Development Trust runs the Cutty Sark Centre in Dumbarton, a community hub offering free activities and support for all ages. They provide youth clubs, family events, gardening projects, employability drop‑ins, computer access, and counselling. It's a friendly space to get involved, meet others, and build new skills.
Phone: 01389 730111
Web: www.bellsmyretrust.org.uk
Beyond Your Limits (EY Foundation)
Beyond Your Limits is a free two-year programme by the EY Foundation supporting care-experienced young people (16–19) with paid work experience, training, mentoring, and personal development. It helps boost skills and employment chances.
Phone: 0207 951 3133
Web: eyfoundation.com/uk/en/apply/i-m-a-young-person/beyond-your-limits.html
Centre 81
Centre 81 is a community hub in Whitecrook, Clydebank. It offers a wide range of activities and services for all ages, including fitness classes, IT and art workshops, a low-cost gym (Gym81), a café (Café81), and rooms for hire. The centre also hosts the ISARO Community Initiative, providing support for ethnic minorities, and Social Security Scotland's Local Delivery Service, assisting with benefit applications.
Phone: 0141 533 7070
Web: www.clydebank-ha.org.uk/community/centre81/
Citizens' Advice Bureau West Dunbartonshire
free, confidential, impartial advice for local residents on a wide range of issues including benefits, debt, housing, employment, consumer rights, and relationships. Their skilled advisers offer tailored support, helping people understand their rights, explore options, and resolve problems, often working with partner agencies when needed. The service operates across West Dunbartonshire, including outreach visits and a telephone advice line, ensuring accessible support to all in the community
Phone: 0800 484 0136
Web: www.wdcab.co.uk/
Developing the Young Workforce
DYW's part of the Young Person's Guarantee, connects young people aged 14–25 in West Dunbartonshire with local employers. They organise careers events, mentoring, and work experiences to build the skills needed for the workplace. With dedicated resources and guidance for schools, employers, and young people, DYW West helps inspire pathways toward apprenticeships, college, or employment.
Web: www.dywwest.co.uk/Home
English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) course
A community-based English language programme by West Dunbartonshire Working4U, helping learners improve communication skills and adapt to life in Scotland. Courses are available at Centre 81 in Clydebank and in Dumbarton library, running from late August/September 2025 through mid-June 2026, with levels from Elementary to Beginner.
Phone: 01389 738775
Web: www.west-dunbarton.gov.uk/jobs-and-training/working4u/learning/adult-learning/esol
Smart Futures (EY Foundation)
Web: https://eyfoundation.com/uk/en/apply/i-m-a-young-person/smart-futures.html
MCR Pathways Scotland
Motivation, Commitment and Resilience Pathways Scotland aims to help young people unlock their potential, no matter their circumstances. Working together with their inspiring mentor community and partners, they can help young people to realise their skills and progress onto a positive destination. Their vision is for all young people to experience equality of education outcomes, career opportunities and life chances.
Phone: 0141 221 0200
Web: www.mcrpathways.org/
My World of Work
Scotland’s free online careers information and advice service provided by Skills Development Scotland. It helps people of all ages explore careers, understand their strengths, build CVs, search for jobs and training, and plan their next steps with easy‑to‑use tools and guidance.
Web: www.myworldofwork.co.uk/
National Autistic Society West Dunbartonshire
The leading UK charity supporting people on the autism spectrum and their families. The site offers a wealth of information, resources, and practical advice on living with autism, including guidance on education, employment, health, and social inclusion. It also provides details on local services and support networks.
Web: https://www.autism.org.uk/
Reach
For advice about rights to education and support for children in Scotland. REACH can help you understand your rights to support with your learning and your rights to be included, listened to and involved in decisions about your education.
Web: www.reach.scot/
Salvesen Mindroom Centre
Phone: 0131 370 6730
Web: www.mindroom.org/
Scottish Refugee Council
Helpline number: 0808 196 7274
Web: www.scottishrefugeecouncil.org.uk/
The Mix
The Mix is a UK based charity that provides free, confidential support for young people under 25 via online, social and mobile.
Phone: 0808 808 4994
Web: www.themix.org.uk/
Tullochan
Tullochan supports both young people aged 5-25 and those aged 25+ through a range of development programmes delivered from our Tullochan Training Academy, within Primary/Secondary schools or through their Social Enterprises. Programmes such as Timber Transitions, Furniture Fix, Gardening & Landscaping, Personal Development, Work Placements within their cafe 'The Common Good', or Employability sessions are on offer, alongside LGBTQ+ Youth Action Group and High School Drop-in Youth Club. Their support allows young people and the wider community to improve their mental health and wellbeing, break down barriers and progress positively into education, employment or training.
Web: www.tullochan.org/
WD Strategic Skills & Support Pipeline
The Strategic Skills Pipeline is a key element in West Dunbartonshire's employability and employment strategy. The Pipeline provides a route map identifying national and local service provision that is available to support residents into employment through a staged process, at the core of which, is the identification of individual need.
Web: https://westdun.wixsite.com/sspipeline/skillspipeline
WDC Working 4U
West Dunbartonshire Council Working4U service was established to improve the quality of lives of West Dunbartonshire residents by assisting them to overcome barriers to social and economic inclusion. Working 4U help people to access a wide range of employment, training and learning opportunities designed to help them overcome barriers, develop their skills and assist them in their journey towards work
Phone: 01389 738296
Web: www.west-dunbarton.gov.uk/jobs-and-training/working4u/
Dyslexia Scotland
Dyslexia Scotland is a national charity dedicated to empowering people with dyslexia across Scotland to reach their full potential. They provide expert support and resources for young people (aged 8–18), adults, parents, educators, and employers, including a free Addressing Dyslexia Toolkit to help schools identify and support learners with literacy difficulties.
The charity also offers a confidential helpline, training sessions, career guidance, and a national register of dyslexia tutors for one-to-one support. With local branch networks and advocacy efforts, Dyslexia Scotland promotes inclusive education and legal rights for people with dyslexia throughout Scotland.
Web: www.dyslexiascotland.org.uk/
Skills Development Scotland
Centres based in Dumbarton and Clydebank.
Phone: 0800 917 8000
Web: www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk/
The Scottish Refugee Council
A charity dedicated to supporting people in need of refugee protection.
Helpline number: 0808 1967 274
Web: www.scottishrefugeecouncil.org.uk/
Scottish Centre for Conflict Resolution
Web: https://www.scottishconflictresolution.org.uk/
King's Trust
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Web: https://www.kingstrust.org.uk/
Enquire
A free, independent resource for parents, carers, professionals, and young people across Scotland, offering confidential guidance on additional support for learning. Enquire provides a telephone helpline, email inquiries, and easy-to-read guides and factsheets. It also features a dedicated youth site, Reach, designed to help young people understand their rights and express their views.
Helpline number: 0345 123 2303
Web: https://enquire.org.uk/
Connecting Scotland - Digital Skills
Digital skills resources for families, children and young people, bringing together tools and guidance to support safe, confident use of the internet. Topics include online safety, fake news, managing screen time, privacy and digital wellbeing. It is ideal for parents, carers, youth workers and young people looking to build digital confidence.
Web: https://connecting.scot/digital-champions/digital-skills/families-children-and-young-people
Be Internet Legends
Be Internet Legends is a free online safety and media-literacy programme aimed at 7–11-year-olds in UK schools. It teaches five key behaviours—Sharp, Alert, Secure, Kind, and Brave—through engaging activities like the Interland game, lesson plans, assemblies, and family resources to help children confidently and safely navigate the web . Includes a Be Internet Legends Curriculum for teachers to download lesson plans to deliver in class, including classroom activities.
Web: https://beinternetlegends.withgoogle.com/en_ie/
UK Safer Internet Centre
Helping children and young people stay safe online. Including guides and resources for a range of audiences
from parents, education, social work, healthcare, and more.
Helpline number: Professionals Online Safety Helpline 0344 381 4772
Web: https://saferinternet.org.uk/
Street League
Phone: 0800 331 7600
Web: https://www.streetleague.co.uk/?
Play Scotland
Web: https://www.playscotland.org/
Swan Scotland (Scottish Women’s Autism Network)
Web: https://swanscotland.org/?