Sabrina’s experiences of going to youth clubs while growing up left a lasting impression on her. They helped her get through some of the challenges she faced as a young person. This, combined with a passion for learning, led her to study Community Education at Edinburgh. She now runs her own charity focused on youth work.
Supporting young people
“I think working with children and young people is one of the most meaningful ways to create long-term positive change,” she says when asked why youth work is important to her.
“Being a young person can be an amazing time, but it can also be a really challenging one,” she continues. “You’re starting to figure out who you are, what direction you’re going in and what your place in the world is, all while still having quite a lot of limits on your independence. And I think that pressure is often underestimated.”
Often external factors can complicate a young person’s wellbeing further. Sabrina explains: “If you then add any additional challenges, whether that’s poverty, mental health, identity, discrimination or a difficult home life it can feel like an uphill struggle at times. That’s why having somewhere safe and consistent is so important. Somewhere you can just be yourself, without judgement or pressure.”
Launching The WHY Project
Sabrina herself felt the benefits of going to youth clubs as a young person. She could “switch off, take part in things, have a laugh and be around people in a way that felt easy”. They were a place she could enjoy experiences she didn’t have elsewhere.
For her this is why youth work is so important and can have a lasting impact. “It’s often the small, consistent things that make the biggest difference – showing up, building trust over time and meeting young people where they are rather than where we think they should be,” she says. “And when it’s done well, it doesn’t always feel like something huge in the moment, but it can stay with someone for a very long time afterwards.”
After finishing her degree at Edinburgh in 2015, Sabrina built up experience working with young people in the charity sector. Sabrina was drawn to the idea of stepping outside traditional existing structures and creating something that young people really needed. She cofounded The Wee Haven Youth (WHY) Project in 2018 with a fellow Community Education student Kevin Brown. “For us, it was always about the ‘why’,” she explains. “Why we do this work and how we create something that feels like home for the young people we support.”
A home away from home
Creating a home away from home is at the core of The WHY Project. It is safe, welcoming space, where young people can be themselves. It’s also a place that offers practical support. Nutritious food is available as Sabrina believes “no young person should ever be in a position where they go without”. There is also the chance to learn new skills, try out activities and build confidence, “offering real opportunities to grow”.
A key part is about building relationships with young people and working alongside them as trusted adults. This helps them gain valuable experience of having role models and seeing positive leadership in action.
“One of the things I’m most proud of is the pathway we’ve created for young people to move from taking part in activities to volunteering and, for some, into paid work with us if that’s the right step for them,” she explains. “It gives them experience, ownership, responsibility and a real sense of progression.”
The lasting impact of youth work
The charity has grown since its launch through word of mouth and members choosing to return on a regular basis. What started out as a small volunteer-led group supported by locally raised funds now boasts a strong organisational structure. It is led by a highly qualified team with a dedicated board of trustees. Funding has also expanded and partners include Baxters, the JD Foundation, the Royal Company of Merchants and UK Youth. The project works with 130 young people each week offering youth clubs, weekend activities and support for families. It has had a lasting impact on those who go.
At a recent celebration event, young volunteers, current and former staff and young people shared feedback about The WHY Project. Their stories reflected the welcoming, supportive culture the organisation has worked hard to build.
“We spent time reflecting on their favourite things about The WHY Project and it was quite emotional hearing people describe the very things we set out to create in the first place,” says Sabrina. “People spoke about feeling at home, about being able to return whenever they needed to and about how they wouldn’t be where they are now without the support and opportunities they had through the project. Others spoke about our team being something they hadn’t experienced anywhere else.”
Investing in the future of youth work
It’s clear how much initiatives such as The WHY Project mean to the young people who go. That’s why it’s important to keep their doors open. Funding remains a challenge though and is something that Sabrina would like to see improve across the sector.
“I think there is already a lot of recognition of the value of youth work,” she says. “But I would like to see that matched with stronger and more consistent investment, particularly longer-term funding that allows organisations to plan properly and provide stability.”
Becoming a Being Edinburgh Alumni Award winner
Sabrina sees that the Scottish Government is aligning priorities around tackling poverty, reducing inequality and improving outcomes for young people. However, she believes “youth work should be recognised more as playing a vital role in delivering those ambitions”. Achieving this requires more investment. “Ultimately, youth work isn’t an optional extra,” she continues. “When it’s properly supported, it meets young people where they are and can make a genuine difference to their lives and futures.”
It is for this dedication to youth work, that Sabrina won the University’s Being Edinburgh Alumni Award 2026. Launched in 2020 by Development and Alumni, the award celebrates alumni making a change in their fields locally or globally. The news surprised and humbled her.
“You don’t really expect something like that,” Sabrina admits.“I am still taking it in. I’m incredibly proud of the work we do at The WHY Project, and this feels like a real recognition of that, as well as everyone involved in it – including our incredible youth workers, Demi and Callum, our young volunteers and the young people who are at the heart of everything we do.”
A personal achievement
On a personal level, being honoured by her alma mater feels like a full circle moment.
“Coming to the University of Edinburgh was a real turning point in my life and being accepted there is still one of my proudest achievements,” says Sabrina. “University was a really important time for me, although it did come with some challenges as I became unwell with ME, which meant it took me longer to complete my studies than I had expected.
She continues: “Because of that, to now be recognised by the University for the work I’ve gone on to do since then felt incredibly meaningful. It also felt like recognition of a journey that has been shared with so many people along the way – my family and friends, Kevin as cofounder, and the wider community around The WHY Project.”
The path to university
Sabrina’s route to studying at university was a less traditional one. Having left school at 16 with Standard Grades, she gained a City & Guilds qualification in mechanics. This led to an apprenticeship with Vauxhall.
After studying business to HNC level, she applied for a role at Queen Margaret University. There, in the Institute for International Health and Development she “saw the impact of community work around the world”.
Later, a career adviser gave her the information and incentive to seek out more experiences in youth workand community work. Completing an access course at Jewel and Esk College gave her a new outlook on education. It was the final stepping stone in her journey to higher education.
“That course led me to university at the age of 25 and ultimately set me on the path that has brought me to where I am today,” she explains.
Choosing Edinburgh
When asked why she chose the University of Edinburgh, Sabrina says: “It always makes me smile when I think about it. There were a few universities offering similar courses and I was looking at all of them. As part of that process, I came to meet the programme director at Edinburgh, Dr Ken McCulloch, who is sadly no longer with us.”
“We had a great chat,” she continues. “He showed me around, told me all about the course and answered my many questions. Right at the end, he said that wherever I studied, I’d spend a lot of time reading books written by leading practitioners in the field, but if I came to Edinburgh, I’d actually be learning from the people who wrote the books.”
It was this meeting that helped Sabrina make her choice. “At that point, I’d really found my enthusiasm for learning, so that idea immediately appealed to me. Looking back, he was absolutely right. The course also had a great reputation. Between that, the practicalities of living in Edinburgh and my conversation with Dr McCulloch, Edinburgh just felt like the right fit for me.”
“Right at the end, he said that wherever I studied, I’d spend a lot of time reading books written by leading practitioners in the field, but if I came to Edinburgh, I’d actually be learning from the people who wrote the books.”
Sabrina Tickle on discussing studying at Edinburgh with Dr Ken McCulloch
A life-changing experience
For Sabrina, university gave her a sense of purpose. She made the most of the opportunity.
“Without going into too much detail, I had quite a chaotic path growing up, and things weren’t particularly straightforward for me before university,” she says. “Coming to university gave me something to focus on and work towards – it acted as an anchor and a real catalyst for change in my life.”
“Once I started, I genuinely loved it,” Sabrina continues. “I really enjoyed the course, the people I met and the direction it gave me. Even through challenges along the way, it felt like things in my life started to move in a more positive direction from that point on.”
Getting out in the field
As well as access to books and ideas, there were opportunities to go out into the field. This helped her learn about the practicalities of a future role. “One of the most valuable parts of it was the placement experience,” she explains. “That element really helps you step into the world of youth and community work properly, rather than just learning about it in theory.”
While her degree gave her career skills, on a personal level university gave Sabrina a close community and life-long connections. “A lot of what came after that really grew out of that period – from meeting my husband, my close friends, to staying close with Kevin, and eventually setting up The WHY Project together,” she says. “In many ways, it was the starting point for a completely different chapter in my life.”
Promoting positive change in youth work
Looking ahead, The WHY Project team wants to make its services accessible as possible to those who need them. Part of that plan is to to open seven days.
“We feel that to really achieve our vision of being a consistent ‘home away from home’ for young people, that level of provision is important – particularly as school holidays and out-of-term periods can often be the most challenging times for families,” says Sabrina. “Having consistent support available throughout the year helps provide stability when it’s needed most.”
She continues: “Longer term, we would love to have our own premises. That has always been the dream, and it would allow us to expand what we offer and create even more opportunities for young people and the wider community.”
Sabrina’s love of learning means she’s passionate about her own development too. She hopes this could lead to promoting positive change in youth work.
“I’d like to do further study over the next year or two, particularly in areas linked to policy and systems change, and to use that learning to contribute more to wider conversations about youth work and inequality,” she says. “That would still very much be alongside The WHY Project, but as the organisation grows it feels like there’s an opportunity to have a broader impact as part of that journey.”
Photo credits: Main feature image of Sabrina and Kevin, and of Sabrina and Baxters chef, by Nick Mailer Photography. All other images courtesy of Sabrina Tickle and The WHY Project.
