The Polar Academy

The Polar Academy is a charity – set up in 2012 – which identifies those young adults in Scottish schools and organisations who are often overlooked by the education system.

The polar academy team trains them over a year with the ambition to change their outlook. Utilising £55k of funding via Young Start, this project will engage young people aged 13-17 years who lack confidence and are experiencing other life challenges. The young people will undergo a 10-month training programme which includes a number of physical challenges such as water tasks, rope work and climbing. The schedule culminates in an Artic expedition to Greenland or adventuring in Scotland.

The course also works with the young people to hone their presentation and group demonstration skills to prepare them for their return commitments, to tell their stories to 3000 local children and young people and act as role models to inspire them to achieve.

” We are exceptionally thankful to receive an offer of significant funding from Young Start which will help us support 4 schools and 60 teenagers over the next two years from the Angus, Aberdeen, and Highland regions in Scotland. Pupils from the Angus area will begin their selection and training in May 2022 and work towards their Greenlandic expedition in March 2023.”

Young Start is delivered by the National Lottery Community Fund – Scotland and is funded utilising monies from the Dormant Assets Scheme.