Aviemore conference has quite a Deep Impact

Nearly 400 youth and children’s workers from across Scotland descended on Aviemore at the weekend to attend one of country’s largest youth and children’s work conferences.

Deep Impact, Scotland’s National Christian Youth and Children’s Work training conference, is run by some of Scotland’s most respected Christian youth and children’s work agencies and the Evangelical Alliance.

It brought together a wide variety of voluntary and paid workers, and injected almost £65,000 into the strath’s economy.

Deep Impact showcased the vast amount of church based youth and children’s work across Scotland.

Estimates indicate that those attending will invest nearly 220,000 hours in youth and children’s work during the course of this year.

The conference also offered an opportunity to share best practice and build partnerships with organisations from across the UK.

Ali Laing, chair of the Deep Impact planning team, said: "We were delighted to returned to Aviemore for Deep Impact 2018 which was a significant event for youth and children’s work in Scotland this year.

"Those who attended Deep Impact at the weekend between them work with thousands of children and young people, investing nearly 220,000 hours of youth work and children’s work in communities across Scotland, at no cost to the taxpayer.

"At a time of scarce resources this was a great opportunity to provide top quality training and share good practice with Scotland’s hidden army of community heroes, for the benefit of young people across Scotland.

"We were also pleased to be able to make a significant contribution to the Highland economy during January which we know can be a quiet time following the Christmas celebrations.

"As well as the conference itself many of the youth workers who attended Deep Impact will bring repeat business to the Aviemore area by bringing groups young people back throughout the year.

"Sometimes people are under the mistaken impression that the church has retreated from serving the local community over recent years.

"The numbers around Deep Impact show not only is that not the case but actually show how significant the impact is that Christian Youth and Children’s workers make in communities across Scotland."

Kate Forbes, MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, was delighted that the organisers had chosen Aviemore.

She said: "Many of the youth workers at Deep Impact work through churches and Christian organisations, some on a voluntary basis.

"I know how valuable youth work is across the Highlands, and volunteers are crucial in the current tough financial climate.

"At the start of the year of the young person this conference is especially relevant in supporting our young people to reach their full potential."

Do you want to respond to this article? If so, click here to submit your thoughts and they may be published in print.