Leadership programme benefits Garnock Valley pupils

Garnock Valley Locality team have partnered with KA: Leisure, The Salvation Army and Scottish Fire and Rescue to create an impactful life skills programme for young people in the Garnock Valley.

Based in Kilbirnie, the S3 Leadership Programme has been running since September 2025 in partnership with Garnock Community Campus.

Originally developed alongside KA:Leisure, the health and wellbeing programme with a life skills and resilience focus has benefited seven S3 pupils so far...

It has featured a range of action-packed workshops including youth work and team building, quit fighting for likes, No Knives Better Lives, drugs and alcohol awareness and sports activities.

In its latest instalment, the S3 pupils from Garnock Community Campus have been enthusiastically participating in a four week block of Fakeaway cookery sessions at The Salvation Army’s George Steven Community Hub in Kilbirnie.

Not only have they been learning tips on how to cook takeaway favourites at home in a much healthier way, they have also been exploring practical ways to cook on a budget as rising costs for groceries continue to soar.

The result of the positive intergenerational learning has provided pupils who have faced engagement barriers at school with a host of safe and inclusive spaces to develop mental health resilience and learn life skills such as navigating the pressures of being a teenager, cooking on a budget and making positive life choices.

A great example of utilising community assets already operating in the Garnock Valley, the Locality team and KA:Leisure’s Co-ordinator Chris Monk were grateful to the George Steven Community Hub for providing thier cookery classroom for free to benefit the pupils.

Stacey Gilmour, Community Development Co-ordinator at The Salvation Army’s Kilbirnie hub shared: “This has been an amazing experience getting involved in the S3 Leadership Programme and adding to what amazing work has already been done with the young people.

“Working with others in our community is important to us and demonstrates our Salvation Army values of compassion, integrity and a passion for supporting others.

“This has been incredibly rewarding for myself and my colleague Chelsea to watch the young people grow in confidence each week, share their ideas and show us just how amazing their skills and talents are. We thank Heather from the Garnock Valley Locality team and Chris from KA:Leisure for allowing us to be part of this and are already looking forward to welcoming them back for more sessions in the future.”

And recently as part of the wellbeing partnership, the Locality team invited along Ian Campbell, Local Area Liaison Officer from Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, who was impressed with the young people’s cookery skills when he judged a recent loaded fries cooking challenge. Judges from the George Steven Community Hub also took part.

Other activities delivered at the George Steven Community Hub include bowling, art, baking, sport, gardening, drama and music groups. The team also run a charity shop and community café.

K:A Leisure Coordinator, Chris Monk shares: “It has been brilliant collaborating with Heather from the Garnock Valley Locality team and local young people on this impactful project. The S3 pupils we worked with lacked confidence at the start and didn’t really understand the value of places and community spaces on their doorstep…

“Now they are more aware of the opportunities available and the importance of respecting and championing community members and venues who work tirelessly to nurture and provide wellbeing opportunities for all.

“To continue responding to the group’s changing needs and learning experiences, we also hosted a four week block of Elevate gym sessions at the Walker Hall, equipping the young people with a programme that they can now work through in their own time and free gym membership for a limited period. This was really well-received. The pupils involved will now be setting their sights on an eight-week Fire Skills course with Scottish Fire and Rescue at Ardrossan Fire Station. Stay tuned for updates.”

Published: 21 April 2026