Category

• Promising Local Practice

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Poverty impact

• Prevention
• Mitigation

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Poverty driver

• Provide benefit in-kind (experience)
• Non-driver - improving quality of life

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Keywords

• Community Action
• Community Engagement
• Employment
• Lived Experience
• Empowerment

Aim

The Zone aims to improve the quality of life for children, young people, and the wider community by providing safe spaces for play, recreation and learning. The Zone also supports community members facing hardship and strengthens local resilience. Its objectives include delivering childcare and youth programmes, offering training and employment pathways, promoting outdoor play, and providing community support services that respond flexibly to local needs, such as their Peer Recovery Group.

Summary

The Zone Initiative Ltd is a registered Scottish charity and company based in Dalmellington, East Ayrshire, serving the Doon Valley and surrounding rural communities. The organisation has been operating for 19 years, delivering locally based services for children, young people and the wider community. The community-based Project provides a range of childcare and youth work services in addition to outdoor free play opportunities for children.
The Zone also provides training and employability services, including apprenticeships and accredited qualifications and support individuals seeking skills development and routes into employment.
An established community resource (established in 2006), the Zone collaborates with local authorities and third-sector organisations such as local service and recovery networks in East Ayrshire.
Through its long-standing presence and range of person centred and community-based services, The Zone operate as a community-based organisation which provides practical support and opportunities for the residents of East Ayrshire.

What difference does it make?

• Getting youths off the streets.
• Helping youths gain useful skills for adulthood.
• Hosting events for youths to build community.
• Running the local post office.
• Providing a food bank.
• Providing – training for employment.
• Providing families with childcare – whilst they work/in-training.
• Supporting the elderly with household chores.
• Supporting the community with our gardening initiative.
• Support those who suffer or affected by addiction.
• Supporting young people who have dis-engaged from school – currently we have a 15 year old attending The Zone, we are supporting him with his Employability Award, providing a space for him to complete his Nat 5 qualifications and providing him with a work placement in our Gardening Team- This young person has not attend school for 18mths and would not make contact with guidance staff etc.
• We also have another 14 year old who is also working with our gardening team (work experience).
Additionally, our Family Support Initiative makes a significant difference to families experiencing poverty by reducing stress, improving stability, and strengthening children’s day to day wellbeing. By offering practical help with finances, forms, housing, and essentials, we remove immediate barriers that keep families in crisis. Through early intervention, emotional support, and building parents’ confidence, we create safer, calmer home environments where children can thrive. For young people, our support improves school attendance, mental health, access to positive activities, and opportunities to learn skills and build resilience. By connecting families to the right services, providing consistent, trusted relationships, and addressing both practical and emotional needs, we help break cycles of crisis and give children and young people a better, fairer chance in life.
It allows young people to gain SQA qualifications, which in turn strengthens their labour market prospects. It provides young people with a safe place to mix with peers. It also tackles deprivation directly through its foodbank.

Key take-aways

• Involve young people in decision-making.

 

Organisations

The Zone Ltd.

Location

East Ayrshire (Dalmellington area and all the surrounding towns and villages in the Doon Valley).

Contact